


Finding Home

by Percyjacksonfan3



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M, Nico and Will get it on so if that's not your thing don't read, Sexual Themes, Violence, mature language I guess?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-08-17
Packaged: 2018-12-16 17:12:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 64,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11833296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Percyjacksonfan3/pseuds/Percyjacksonfan3
Summary: The second time Percy’s kidnapped, it isn’t by Hera. No, this time, it’s a giant who wants revenge- and he’s smart enough to get it. Of course Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter aren’t going to take the abduction of Percy lying down. Especially with Annabeth there to kick their ass.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the pjohoobigbang2017 on tumblr, this baby really took a lot out of me guys. Coming to a grand total of 64 446 words I am super exhausted but also super proud to be in this and included amongst all of the other wonderful writers and am so, so grateful for having the chance to meet so many great people. 
> 
> Which leads me to thanking my lovely beta, @lemonlestered. You put up with my constant changes in the story and fixed everything I was too blind to see and I can’t thank you enough!
> 
> Finally thank you to the amazing @dianas-steve, her artwork is just incredible guys, please go and check it out!

The first thing Percy is aware of is the sound. 

He hears dripping. It's coming from feet away and he listens to the constant sound of liquid splashing into what sounds like a puddle or a quickly-filling bowl on the ground.

The first thing Percy feels is the cold, and he automatically shivers, letting out a raspy groan at the pain from the movement. He's in nothing but his Camp Half-Blood t-shirt and jeans, and the cold air bites against his bare skin.

The first thing he sees, when he finally manages to open his eyes, is a fire. The light from it is so bright, casting hulking shadows on the surrounding walls in the surrounding darkness, that Percy has to squint until his eyes adjust. It's too far away for any heat to reach him but the light seems unnaturally bright in the enclosed space.

His shoulders are throbbing in agony. His knees are frozen, water having seeped through his jeans; it feels like it's seeped through his very skin to his bones. The joints are smarting from being pressed against the floor for so long, having grown stiff. More than anything though, he feels sharp shooting pain coming from his wrists.

He blinks his eyes once, twice, three times more, before everything comes into focus.

Dread is an icy pool in his stomach and his heart speeds up from fear.

A cave.

He's in a cave.

Memories of Tartarus, of Grover trapped in a wedding dress and of the Labyrinth come back to him in a sudden rush. Percy hates being enclosed. Absolutely hates it. His breath picks up. The cold air scrapes his throat and he wonders if there's something more to the weather in here. It shouldn't be this cold in the cave, especially with the fire right there in front of him.

His head lolls, he lets his eyelids flutter closed, and his thoughts leave him.When he comes to again his thoughts are clearer.

He's in a cave and his wrists are chained to the wall above his head. His body hurts where it’s kneeling on the cave floor, in as comfortable a position as he can get, his wrists raw and shoulders aching, drives agony through his veins with each shift of muscle. His knees feel like they're bruising by the second and freezing just as fast. When he tries to stand, his legs shake and his shoulders scream in protest, so he stops moving and slumps down once more.

Percy can't remember how he got there.

He only panics for a few seconds before he shakes his head and tries to think; tries to look around and get some idea of what the Hades is going on. He remembers waking up from his Hera coma, Lupa standing over him and growling. He remembers how off guard he'd been and the fact that it had almost gotten him killed.Never again, he'd promised himself. He's been through worse than this. He's sure of it.

He can see the cave opening faintly in the distance, there's moonlight shining, illuminating the opening, so the cave must be pretty deep. He must be a fair bit in. Everything except the fire and a couple of logs beside it are shadowed and too dark to make out. No sound except the dripping water. There's something, something that makes his senses prick, and when he takes a deep breath he smells something that is strangely like...

...french toast?

He panics again, mind jumping. Before you have a stroke you always smell something, right? What was that again? Was it french toast?

Burnt toast, Seaweed Brain. Annabeth's voice, calm and teasing, breaks through his thoughts and he relaxes as much as he can in his current position. Burnt toast is before a stroke. French toast is... odd.

Annabeth.

He looks around again but he can't see anybody else. No other sign of life. The only thing he notices is the sound of water dripping closer to the entrance- and the feeling of blood on his face. When he scrunches his nose some dried red flakes fall.

Once again he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. Nobody else is here, which means if there had been people captured with him they'd either escaped or...

He shakes his head. Without knowing anything for sure, he shouldn't freak out, shouldn't jump to conclusions. Annabeth and his mom both tell him he's bad for that. Anything could have happened. This could be anything. Just think, he tells himself. There must be something to tell you what happened. Something you can do.

Use your surroundings, what do you have? Annabeth’s voice rings out in his mind again and he calms down a bit.

There's a weight in his pocket that could be Riptide, but with his hands chained he can't make sure. He tries to think back, but he has a headache and his memory is foggy at best. How did he get here? And, more importantly:

How was he going to get out?

oooOOOooo

Grover really loves his girlfriend.

Like really, really loves her.

Juniper is such a constant in his life now that he can't picture a world without her. Thank the Gods her tree is only about 50 years old. It would be such a bummer if she were too young for him.

Grover comes back to Camp from searching for more demigods exhausted, every time. Sometimes he finds half-bloods, sometimes he doesn't, but Juniper is always there to greet him at the hill and it makes up for whatever the journey had taken from him.

Then there's the nights after Council of Cloven Elder meetings when Grover is frustrated and bleating angrily about Silenus and Maron. For example, when they wouldn't agree to send more satyrs out searching for demigods when Olympus closed, instead keeping more satyrs than ever back at Camp. Grover had fought hoof and nail for them to widen their search for any unclaimed demigods, but no, it was too risky until they knew what was happening. Even though the solution seems obvious to Grover- don't leave the kids stranded, obviously- Silenus and Maron are older and have a different perspective.

This is what Juniper tells him. Grover bleats that they're old and outdated.

(He doesn't actually think so. To a certain degree, he actually respects his companions more than most satyrs. It's just frustrating when they don't agree with him based on the experiences he and his friends have had.)

It will be ages before he calms down enough to even think about anything else, and Juniper will listen and nod, occasionally butting in to disagree with him.

She puts up with him disappearing and going through the Labyrinth on quests with Apollo to take down the Triumvirate, she defends Camp while everyone leaves to go help the Romans defend their home and she always, always threatens to kill him if he dies while away on a quest.

She's a gift from Zeus himself, and Grover is so, so in love with his girlfriend.

Of course, there were also the months when Percy was missing. First the empathy link dulled until it was barely there at all, which caused him to panic. Then it came back full force and he was helping Annabeth as much as he could, both of them staying in Bunker Nine all night, not sleeping, and not eating enough either. Satyr searches for their friend came back empty handed, and Grover didn't get a good night’s sleep again until he'd helped Annabeth and Jason pinpoint Percy's exact location at Camp Jupiter on a map.

Juniper went through all of that with him. Some nights she would stay with them, just to be there. Others she would drop of plates of food before she went to her tree for the night. Everyday she would remind them to eat, to sleep, to shower and get out to speak to people.

"Let the Hephaestus kids build the Argo II." She asked him, eyes wide and soft, caring and full. "Come have lunch with me."

Annabeth was harder to persuade, but occasionally Grover took Juniper up on it. He realized he'd been neglecting her and took her on picnics by the streams, and they watched the Camp fireworks together.

Of course, then Leo said the Argo was finally ready and the five travelers (including Hedge) set sail, leaving Grover behind to wave at them from the ground.

That's when things got scary.

It was alright for a few days. When Percy and Annabeth reunited Grover actively had to dull their empathy link because the emotions were so strong. But at least it was a good day, at least they were happy emotions.

A few days later Grover was picking up so much distress, fear, helplessness and anger that he was crying from the feeling without realizing it.

Piper Iris-messaged Chiron later that night. Percy and Annabeth had fallen into Tartarus.

Juniper was one of the only things that got Grover through that week, and then the next. In Tartarus it wasn't easy to feel anything concrete because Percy's emotions changed so rapidly, and some were too terrifying for Grover to comprehend. At one point Percy seemed to have the mind of a murderer, and Grover was hyperventilating as the feeling rose and then subsided all at once.

Juniper held him close and whispered soothing words in his ear. She clutched his hand and woke him up from the nightmares. She grounded him by making Grover remember that he wasn’t Percy, he wasn’t in those situations, the fear and anger weren’t his own. She was there for him to talk to about everything. About how he was worried for his friends. This was the first quest, the first real quest, that Annabeth and Percy had gone on without him involved. Sure Percy had recovered Hades' Sword with Nico and Thalia, and yes Annabeth and him had found Festus in the woods with Beckendorf and Silena without Grover being there, but this was a a real, true quest with Chiron’s permission and warnings from Rachel and they were out there without Grover.

He hated it. He knew why he'd had to stay behind, but he hated it.

In Tartarus it wasn't like he couldn't read Percy's emotions or occasional thought, it was more that it changed so rapidly it was impossible to keep up and get a concrete idea. He got occasional glimpses and feelings, but it was overwhelming and Grover more often than not tried to focus on other things.

It never shut off completely though. It was always there in the back of his mind, constantly pulling at him to look deeper. Even when Percy was asleep for all those months, the buzz was there. Faint and too hidden to trace, but the feeling was always there. Grover knew he was alive and, for that time, calm.

So that was why today Grover shot up from sleeping at the base of Juniper's tree with a start.

It took him a few minutes to figure out what had woken him. Juniper appeared from the trunk of her tree almost immediately to crouch before him.

"What is it, Grover?" She asked urgently. "A nightmare? Are you alright?"

He met her eyes and breathed in deeply. After calming down a bit he'd finally searched his head and realized what had woken him- or, more accurately, what's absence had woken him.

"It's the empathy link." His lip trembled but he quickly got it under control. Juniper's eyes never wavered from his. "It's gone."

Juniper gasped and her hands flew to her mouth as her eyes went wide.

He nodded and went into her embrace immediately, clutching back at her desperately. She smelled like she always did, and his breathing calmed down a little bit as she held him close.

His head was just... empty. Where before there was that gentle tug, now there was nothing. He hadn't had his head all to himself for about five years.

The fact that he wasn't reincarnated as a fish or something didn't help ease his worries. Neither Percy nor Grover knew what would happen if one of them died. Percy could become a shrub, Grover could become a sea creature to join Poseidon, or they could be completely fine, just with no more empathy link. It was all uncharted territory for them.

Which really didn't help Grover. If their empathy link was gone- well. There was only one explanation he could think of for that. Percy didn’t know how to dissolve it.

Juniper held him and Grover let his shoulder rest on her shoulder. "Something's happened on the quest," Grover muttered, eyes squeezed shut and trying, as hard as he could, to reach out and find his friend. "I can't feel Percy anymore."

Juniper stays with him until he finally calms down. "We should go see Chiron, Grover. You should tell him. Maybe he'll know what's happened."

Together they go to the Big House and Grover knocks timidly on the door.

He stumbles backwards when Mr. D answers them, his face looking very uninviting.

Mr. D did not readjust to Camp nicely. Being able to live on Olympus for months with Ariadne during the lockdown was what he'd waited for since being sentenced here. Having to go from Camp, back home and then sent back to Camp to finish his sentence was not agreeing with him.

So could you really blame him for his attire?

A fuzzy purple bathrobe that was really not as long as it should have been caught Grover's attention first. (Also shouldn't a god's knees be more... godlier? Less knobbly? Not that Grover would ever day say that out loud to Mr. D's face. Ever.) Secondly, he noticed bright tiger striped boxers peeking out from underneath, and purple slippers on the god's feet topped off the whole ensemble. Mr. D's curly hair was sticking up on one half of his face, and the other was all pressed in to form a crater-like shape. His eyes were narrowed even more than usual.

"What?" He barked. "Do you know what time it is, Mr. Underwood? When the stars are out that means I should be in my bed, not woken up at 2 in the morning and standing on this Zeus-forsaken porch with a satyr and his girlfriend."

Grover cowered in fear.

Juniper giggled.

"I- Mr. D, I'm so sorry, I was actually looking for Chiron-"

"Oh, were you?" Mr. D drawled. "Oh Fates, my mistake, I do apologize. Why, I get up to answer the creature banging on my door before dawn and lookee here, it's not even me he needs. How perfect." He stomps past them to go stand on the lawn in front of the Big House and looks up at the sky. "Is this you testing me again, Father? Sending these two to punish me for stealing that wine from Olympus and bringing it back here? Was me waking up to find it gone not enough amusement for you?" He's yelling and Grover looks at Juniper, shuffling his hooves. She looks back and shrugs at him, but there's still a faint smile still tugging at her mouth.

The clip-clop of hooves makes them both turn around. "Mr. D I thought Zeus had taken all of the wine back to Olympus-"

Chiron's voice cuts off abruptly at the sight of Juniper and Grover. "Oh, my apologies. I thought Mr. D had managed to get drunk after all."

Mr. D's humph of disgust is loud behind Grover, but the satyr doesn't turn from Chiron. "Chiron, I need to tell you-"

"Make these two clean the toilets tomorrow, my dear centaur." Mr. D proclaims, climbing up the steps and making his way back to the door.

"They come here and wake me up, just for fun it seems-"

"We told you, we were looking for Chiron-" Juniper tries but Mr. D holds up a hand and she quiets immediately. A god in a ridiculous bathrobe and slippers is still a god; something both of them know well.

"Looking for me?" Chiron intervenes before Mr. D can speak further, making the god cross his arms and humph at them all again. "At this hour?"

Grover nods. "I need to-"

"Well come in then." Mr. D snaps and Juniper frowns in irritation before Grover gulps and nods. "No need to stand outside for anyone to see."

They follow Mr. D, Chiron bringing up the rear and end up in Chiron's office. Mr. D takes the liberty of sitting in the only chair available in the room, so Grover and Juniper are left to stand. Chiron moves to stop behind his desk.

"Well," Mr. D snaps his fingers and rests one leg across the other, causing both Grover and Juniper to flush an alarming shade of crimson at the reappearance of the tiger boxers. "Get on with it, Mr. Underwood."

Grover peeks nervously at Chiron. "My empathy link with Percy is gone."

Chiron shifts so that it appears he's leaning away from his desk. His face remains impassive. "I see."

There's a beat of silence.

"Is that it?" Dionysus interrupts the silence. "That was the urgent news that couldn't wait 'till dawn?"

"Mr. D, that means something's happened." Grover says politely, trying not to bleat in frustration instead. "That Percy could be-"

Mr. D lets out a sigh. "You're all so young." He scoffs. "Empathy links end, my dear satyr. Sometimes it's because one of the participants has died, other times because they've been gravely hurt. It can also be because one of them has decided to cut off the connection- oh yes, it is possible- or that the magic has simply exhausted itself. From my understanding, you created the link in a time you needed it, as a last hope for your survival. You had no former training in empathy links and were entirely unsure of both it and your powers, making it shaky at best. Since then it has undergone a tremendous amount of use and strain considering the lives both you and Porticus lead. The magic may have simply ceased, Grover, it does happen."

Grover glanced towards Chiron who nodded. "It is probable that Mr. D is right, Grover," the centaur says gently. His eyes were soft but Grover thought he saw worry in them. "Empathy links, especially one cast by a satyr who has no experience with them, can simply end. However." Grover and Juniper both look at Chiron sharply. "Knowing Percy, and seeing as he was sent out on a scouting mission meant to return today I believe there is cause for concern. You were not rash to bring this to us."

Grover didn’t relax at the words. "Thank Gods," he muttered and Mr. D raised an eyebrow at him. "If something's happened-"

"I can Iris-message the group right now," Chiron says smiling gently. "No doubt Percy will have been woken just as you were. I believe he will most likely still be awake."

Grover nodded. "Thank you, Chiron, Mr. D."

Chiron smiles once more and turns towards the fountain in the corner of his office. He grabs a drachma from his desk and tosses it in the constant rainbow. "Iris my dear, would be you be so kind as to show me Perseus Jackson?"

The image flickers. For a moment the mist turns pitch black, impossible to make anything out of, and then a face appears.

The goddess smiles but her eyes look troubled and her voice is frenzied. "Hello Chiron! Why is it always this demigod I have trouble with? Perfect service for the last thousand years… well forgetting that nasty Nero business of shutting me down, and then last year Percy Jackson has to come along and ruin my stellar performance rate. Soon, I'll have to start giving out discounts and getting Fleecy to send out apology baskets of all-organic baked goods. Do you know what this will do to my reputation, Chiron? Hermes will have me fired!"

Chiron blinked at the sudden onslaught and Grover could see him mentally sifting through the wave of information. He settled on the question Grover himself wanted to ask. "Is it not connecting?"

She throws her hands up in the air. "Tell your demigod to stop finding people who can block my magic! First Hera, now this new guy, who really doesn't look so friendly. Percy’s making friends with a whole new sort." She frowns. "I told him to stay at my shop with us. Spare him everything."

She meets Chiron's eyes. "Obviously he didn't take me up on the offer."

"Speak plainly, Iris." Mr. D snaps. "Can you get us to the demigod or not?"

"Oh," she pouts but it's not happily. "Hello, Dionysus. How's sobriety? You're really helping your liver you know, I'm so proud of you! Perhaps you'd like to reinvent your diet altogether and start a completely organic lifestyle. Really flush out your system."

Dionysus grins wickedly. "Not likely."

She shrugs. "I almost convinced Ariadne once. She declined, saying she needed the wine while you were away." Iris cocks her head. "Truly, all those parties you two have must hurt your health."

"Iris, please," Chiron injects quickly before the fire in Mr. D's eyes becomes harmful to those in the room with him. "Do you have any idea of where Percy could be?"

"Oh, no, Chiron, I'm sorry. The one with him is quite powerful in cloaking magic. If my Iris-message can't get through not much will. However, I can connect you to Percy's friends. They're just waking up now to look for him actually. And don't worry, take as long as you need, Chiron, for the inconvenience."

"Wait, who is Percy with-" Grover tries to interrupt but Iris is already gone and Piper takes her place.

"Chiron! Oh thank the gods!" Piper's voice is panicked. "Something's happened, Chiron, Percy's gone!"

Piper's hair is out of it's usual braids, and she's wearing the Camp store's p.j. set, complete with tank top and shorts. Sold at the first Camp Half-Blood store near you!

"McLaren, slow down." Dionysus interrupts. "Explain."

"Well we were scouting out the area, like you guys asked us to, but there was no sign of anything suspicious," she says, ignoring Mr. D getting her name wrong. They’re all well used to it by now. "Nothing that hinted at what could be attacking and kidnapping the people around here. Jason hasn't seen anything resembling the monster from his dream."

Chiron nodded, urging her to continue.

"Well we were going to come home tomorrow after deciding there was nothing here, so we just settled down, made camp around a fire like usual. Percy was with us all night, and then he went to sleep along with everybody else. Leo left Festus on watch even though the rest of us were doing it in shifts. It was a completely normal night."

"What woke you up?" Grover asked them.

"Oh, hey Grover, Juniper.” Her voice brightens before the frown comes back. “Erm, well it was Festus. One moment we were all sleeping, the next he was roaring and making this awful sound. He was looking and running around, sometimes he even lifted off to fly. Annabeth was the first person to notice Percy wasn't with us when we woke up, and after that Leo realized that Festus was looking for him. And then, well, you called."

"Where are the rest?" Chiron asked. “I don’t see them with you.”

"Leo's up with Festus, they're flying and trying to see if Percy sleepwalked away or something like that. Annabeth's checking back the way they searched today, seeing if Percy went to get something he'd lost, that kind of thing. And Jason was checking our campsite some more but he's back now."

"Hey guys," Jason's head pops into view. "I checked all around, Chiron, there's no sign of him. His bedroll and pack are still here, it's like he just up and left. Annabeth said he was wearing a Camp shirt and jeans so we're checking for any sign, but so far..." He trails off and the look in his eyes is calculating. "So far there's nothing."

"Grover," Piper said. "Could you do your thing- you know, use that link you guys have-"

"That was what made us message you, Piper." Chiron interrupted, voice sounding grave. "Grover came and told us that his link with Percy has..."

"It's gone." Grover said, speaking past the worry lodged in his throat. "I can't sense anything."

They both blinked. "What?" Piper whispered. Her face had gone pale. "Like... when he was under Hera's sleep gone? Or gone-gone."

Juniper placed a hand on Grover's arm. He leaned into the touch. "Gone."

The two of them paled further and glanced at each other. Jason and Piper seemed to share the way Percy and Annabeth had of having silent conversations. Finally Jason turns back to them and says, "But that means-"

"It could be an unfortunate coincidence," Mr. D. said carelessly, though Grover notes that his eyes are following everything carefully. "Empathy links are never reliable. Perhaps Peeta's dangerous situation has been the catalyst for the link's termination. It does not mean he is dead."

"Thank you, Mr. D, for those comforting words." Chiron looked back at Piper and Jason who were watching them all with scared looks. "When Annabeth returns-"

"Who's that?" Annabeth's distant voice is audible to them all in the room. "Percy?"

"No, Annabeth, it's-"

"Chiron." Annabeth appears and cuts off Jason's answer. "Chiron, it's happening again. Something's going on."

"My dear-"

"He wouldn't just leave! Not without telling me." She says, hair flying around her face from her quick movements and eyes sparking dangerously. "You know he wouldn't. Especially not after last time."

Chiron is quiet for too long. Grover looks from him to the Iris-message. "Annabeth." He hopes he doesn't sound as scared as he feels, but the way Annabeth looks at him makes him know she understands. "Our empathy link is gone."

"Gone." She repeats flatly. "Gone like Hera's coma gone or gone-gone?"

"Gone-gone," Piper says softly. "Annabeth I-"

"Is that true?" Annabeth asks Grover. "It's completely gone?"

He nods.

Chiron finally speaks again. "I want you all to come back."

Grover actually takes a step back. "What?"

"Yes," Mr. D says, finally sitting up to lean towards the centaur. "I must repeat my satyr's sentiment, Chiron. What?"

Chiron turns to Dionysus. "There's something out there kidnapping people. I suspect it's been doing that to lure us out there. So, we bring them back home. And we regroup. Then we send people out again to find Percy."

"You're not doing that," Annabeth says disbelieving, not even a question, like an unsure command. "You're not just leaving him out here alone. Not you."

"Annabeth-"

"I'm staying." She crosses her arms. "They can come back and tell you what's happened. I'm not leaving until I find him."

"You will not." Chiron says, and his voice is stern, with no room for argument. "Annabeth, I will not leave you out there alone when there is something killing people. Something we have no defense against."

"But you'll do that to Percy?" She asks. "Chiron, this isn't you. It's Percy, you wouldn't just leave him-"

"Come back." Chiron interrupts, and his front left hoof is pawing at the ground nervously. "All of you. If Percy isn't found by dawn then you leave to come home. We'll decide what to do from there."

Jason nods behind Annabeth's shoulder.

"No!" Juniper says just as Grover cries, "Chiron, what are you doing?"

"Hush, satyr." Mr. D is watching Chiron with a curious look on his face. "You heard him. The rest of you, come back in the morning. That is all."

He waves a hand and the Iris-message disappears. "As for you two." He turns to Grover and Juniper but he's distracted. "If you wake me at this time again it won't only be one of you that is a piece of nature, I assure you. Now get. Return in the morning and we will discuss a course of action. Chiron and I must talk."

And with that he kicks them out of the Big House.

oooOOOooo

After getting back from Boston and meeting Magnus with Annabeth, Percy had thought they deserved a couple of months of respite. He hadn’t been naive enough to expect things staying peaceful forever, there always seemed to be a new set of gods waiting to screw things up for him, but so far they'd been averaging three, maybe four months between potential apocalypses. He's kind of been counting on having those few months.

Of course, that was forgetting Apollo was still at Camp Half-Blood. The god practically invited danger their way with his presence alone.

And, obviously, Apollo expected Percy and his friends to help him out of these horrible situations and save the world, etc., etc. Because they were such good buddies and all. Now that he’d become a god again, he was about to leave for Olympus, but not before giving one more quest.

"With Meg gone there's no one else around I really trust to get the job done, if you know what I mean," Apollo had muttered after pulling Percy away to talk in private. They were at the entrance of the dining pavilion, and seeing the other demigods eating breakfast had been making Percy's stomach growl. "Plus, you've got years of experience under your belt. It'll be fine."

Percy had raised his eyebrow. "What about your cabin? You know, your kids? People who would love to go on a quest with you?"

"Oh, I'm not going." Apollo had shaken his head and laughed as if the idea was completely outrageous. "I have things to sort out on Olympus, talks to have with my Father, that sort of thing. And a certain Jaime I must find… an accountant student you know.” He said to Percy, as if expecting him to have any idea what Apollo was talking about. “And I’d rather my children stayed here, where it’s safe. But I've known something wasn't quite right since we defeated the Giants, and Nero hinted at something… one last trick up his sleeve. If I had still had my gifts of prophecy and foresight before..." He trailed off, looking out into the distance and leaving Percy standing in front of him, his foot tapping impatiently at the god's dramatics. "Well, now even though I have them back, I’m coming up blank. And since your friend Jason's had his dream, it puts things into perspective. I need a group of you to go and check things out. After consulting Rachel, of course."

"You realize Annabeth and I just got back from saving the world, right?" Percy asked, looking at the Athena table to find Annabeth watching them curiously. She raised an eyebrow and he made a face in return, causing her to purse her lips. "The Norse gods are almost as bad as you-"

"No, no, no!" Apollo covered his ears and shook his head vehemently, squeezing his eyes shut. "Can't hear you, blah, blah, blah." He stopped imitating a dancing squawking chicken after peaking to find Percy not saying anything, just watching him unimpressed. He cleared his throat and straightened up, blushing slightly. When he glanced towards the suddenly silent eating demigods they all looked away quickly before he could see they'd been watching. "There's a reason we don't run in the same social circles as the other mythologies, Percy." Apollo said, regaining his composure. "Bad, bad things, the unraveling of the world being the least of them, would happen. It's testy to even let you run around with the other demigods. Best not to mention or even think of them in our presence. It's bad enough I can detect their stench on you." Percy opened his mouth to protest because he was getting really tired of immortal beings telling him he stank, but Apollo just clapped his hands over Percy's mouth to stop him.

"This has nothing to do with them, this is strictly Greek with maybe a hint of Roman. You and your friends need to take care of it for me."

Percy had wrinkled his nose at Apollo’s hand covering his mouth, letting out a sigh when the sun god removed it. "Someday, I don't know when, but someday I'll be able to say no when you guys ask me for something. And it's going to be really satisfying."

"Please," Apollo had replied, becoming serious. "You're a Hero of Olympus, Percy. Whenever any Olympian needs something it's going to be you we turn to. It's the fate of our heroes."

The familiar feeling of unfairness had swept through Percy, but with a deep breath it was replaced with grim acceptance. "Sure. Where are we going?"

Apollo had smiled victoriously. "Perfect. Let's gather the others and go see Chiron, shall we?"

From there it had all been normal- or something that was quickly becoming normal for Percy. They'd decided on a group of 5 to go and scout out an area in Iowa. There'd been increased reporting of kidnappings there, but Apollo had said it wasn't a human doing the kidnapping. Jason had agreed, saying in his dream he'd seen a huge four legged creature, oddly shaped and prowling outside some sort of cave. Chiron had told them to take Festus and scout the area so they could figure out what kind of threat they were facing. Annabeth had gone to see Rachel and that was that.

So they’d went, none of them expecting it to be a dead end mission.

It had taken just half of the day to fly with Festus to Iowa. There had been no monster attacks, something they all agreed was odd, and even with five passengers Festus flew fast. When Leo finally directed him to land it made Percy’s stomach swoop at their quick dive from the sky. He may have trusted pegasi in the air since he’d convinced himself they were some middle ground between Zeus and Poseidon (the horses and the sky) and even the Argo II had seemed to be a compromise, what with being a flying boat and having the purpose of helping save the gods and the world.

This mode of transportation however was not on Percy’s Top 10 Ways to Travel list.

He liked Festus, really he did, and on the Argo II he liked to think that the two of them had reached a new understanding, what with their history. Percy had been there when the Camp had rediscovered Festus close to a year ago; Hades, he’d been one of the four of them to do the rediscovering. Silena, Annabeth, Beckendorf and him had battled giant Myrmekes for Festus and while Percy definitely hadn’t been too fond of the automaton, watching Beckendorf and the rest of the Hephaestus cabin reprogram, upgrade and take care of him had been heartwarming.

Of course, that also meant that he’d had a front row seat to watching as the Gold Dragon (he hadn’t had a name back then) had slowly gone haywire after Beckendorf’s death. Percy had tried more than a few times to help the camp capture the giant machine once they’d realized it was dangerous, hoping that his powers with water would help counteract the flames from the old thing.

Nearly being burned to death and seeing what had happened to Jake quickly put a stop to those missions.

It was okay now though, because here they were, with a tame, lovable and caring dragon taking care of them. Leo had obviously given Festus some major T.L.C., because before the Argo II, last time Percy had seen the dragon there had been scorch marks on the metal plates and the distinct aroma of ash following the automaton like cologne. He’d heard the dragon had been torn apart in the battle against Commodus before Leo and Calypso had begun staying at the Waystation. Now the scorch marks were gone, the metal polished until it gleamed and the ash smell had been replaced with Tabasco sauce. The fully recovered dragon was like it just came out of Hephaestus’ shop.

If it made Percy sad to see Festus so cooperative with Leo, to see how far the dragon had come since losing Beckendorf, well, that was his problem. He didn’t need to say anything about it. He knew that sometimes when he met Annabeth’s eyes and saw the sadness from his own reflected there that she felt the same way.

So they’d landed in Iowa, just outside of Missouri Valley. They’d touched down on a patch of grass surrounded by trees, near the Missouri River and as soon as Festus had landed Percy had slid down and walked out the nerves in his legs. Annabeth had followed, slinging her pack from her shoulders and taking out a granola bar before sitting down and watching him pace. She’d raised an eyebrow, he’d stuck out his tongue and she’d smiled before taking another bite after realizing he would be fine.

It was their special way of telling each other they were alright. Very romantic. Born from years of being around one another and a deep pool of affection. That’s what Grover liked to say.

The others jumped down after them and Leo went around to Festus’ head, speaking in gentle tones. Festus’ mouth opened, teeth whirling in something Percy guessed was a smile before walking a few feet away to curl up and rest.

“Not a fan of air travel, Percy?” Piper had asked kindly, unpacking a Ziploc baggie of nuts from the pack she’d brought before handing Jason a PB and J sandwich. She sat down beside Annabeth and got out another sandwich for herself.

Percy grimaced. “Try being a child of Poseidon who’s been personally threatened by Zeus multiple times about going in his domain and see how you feel.”

Jason shuddered. “So that’s why I hate boats.”

“Hey!” Leo chimed in. “You loved the Argo II.”

Jason sat down between Piper and Leo before smiling at him. “That’s why I hate boats, with one major exception.”

Leo took a bite of his chicken sandwich before saying, “I wish you’d told me you didn’t like flying before we left, Percy. Maybe I could have made something to help.”

“He’s fine,” Annabeth answered knowingly. “Honestly. It’s more the fear of Jason’s dad than anything that makes him nervous.” She looks back at him when he moves to stand behind her. “And we all know the King of the Gods wouldn’t smite his own child out of the sky, so we’re all safe, right Seaweed Brain?”

Percy had nodded, not feeling reassured. “Yeah, uh huh.”

Jason raised an eye. “You seriously think he hates you enough to throw a lightning bolt at you when I’m here?”

Percy opened his own pack and pulled out a couple of blue cookies, taking a bite and ignoring the now familiar exchange of looks at his coloured food that came from the trio. “Zeus really hates me. Besides, a lightning bolt probably wouldn’t hurt you, Jason.” He told Leo, Piper and Jason while Annabeth just gave a nod beside him when he sat down. A small rumble from the sky had the four of them looking up while Percy rolled his eyes. “I’m sorry, I mean the All Mighty Immortal Ruler of the Skies really hates me.”

The thunder rolled once more but quieted quickly, making Percy think Zeus may have picked up on his sarcasm. Just a little. And then the rest of the gods had been so busy laughing the King’s anger had quickly switched to them.

Piper bit her lip. “You really shouldn’t taunt them that way. The god’s I mean. Don’t they punish people for that?”

“Not that I’ve seen,” Percy replies, taking another bite of cookie.

“Seaweed Brain,” Annabeth mutters, sounding half annoyed and half amused. “Yes, they do, as you know. Chiron keeps telling you names have power, sooner or later you’re going to be sent up there to be someone’s personal slave for the day.”

Percy almost choked on his cookie and set it on his knee. “No.”

Leo looked up. “Would you mind? I mean, just a day can’t be that bad and at least you’d get to spend it in Olympus.”

“Knowing my luck it would be Ares, and I’d get to switch between being his personal punching bag and cleaning toilets all day. And believe me, by now I know every inch of Olympus by heart from Annabeth’s blueprints. I swear they’re tattooed behind my eyelids from all the times she’s shown them to me.”

Annabeth turned a glare on him. “Oh really?”

It’s not exactly fear that fills Percy at the look in her eyes, but it’s a near thing. “Not that I don’t love seeing your plans. Any time! They’re all so perfect, and exactly what the gods want! In fact I love your architecture so much, I want you to design our future house! How does that sound?”

“Oh, Hephaestus,” Leo mutters to Jason quietly, watching Percy practically grovel. “Do we all do that with our girlfriends?”

“You definitely do, Valdez,” Piper replies, taking another bite of sandwich and watching amusedly as Percy pleads with Annabeth. “You’re the most whipped out of you all. Calypso has you wrapped around her finger.”

Jason watches the humor in Annabeth’s eyes grow as Percy leans forward to kiss her and she dodges out of the way. “Really?”

Piper looks over and hums. “If either of you were dating Annabeth do you think you’d be acting any better?”

Jason and Leo exchanged looks and winced. “Well…” Leo trailed off.

“I mean…” Jason started.

“Don’t even try it, Sparky.” Piper pecked him on the cheek before standing up and dusting off the crumbs from her lap. “Anyway, if you feel Percy’s earned your forgiveness, Annabeth, should we start looking around?”

Annabeth’s sitting and watching Percy with crossed arms, but a smile keeps threatening to break out over her face. He’s currently trying to sing You Are My Sunshine with very little success.

“-My only sunshine! You make me happyyyy, when skies are grey!” He frowns. “Umm, there’s something… you’ll never know… there’s something you’ll never know… which obviously isn’t true, because you know everything.” Annabeth’s eyebrow climbs even higher and Percy hastens to rectify his mistake. “I mean not everything, obviously one person can’t know everything and you’re not as smart as your mom of course-”

Percy gives up with a groan and flops down to lay on the grass, throwing an arm over his eyes. “How does this happen every time I say something stupid?” He peeks out from under his arm. “Have I mentioned I love you?”

Annabeth’s mouth twitches again. “Next time I think you should just lead with that.”

Percy groans again and his arm comes back down over his eyes. “If I’m missing tomorrow, it’s Annabeth. She looks all forgiving and loving right now in front of you three, but when my body turns up somewhere you’ll know who did it.”

Jason rises to join Piper, mouth twitching. “The question is, will any of us turn her in? What if we think you deserved it?”

Leo jumps up excitedly. “Sorry man, Annabeth’s too scary to double cross. I guess you’re kidnapping will remain a mystery forever.”

Percy sighs. “I knew it. Abandoned by my friends, left to suffer at the hands of this-”

Annabeth interrupts him. “If you finish that sentence I can tell you that the kidnapping and torture will start right now, even in front of the witnesses.”

She’s smiling though, just resting her arms on her knees and watching her boyfriend with a happy, relaxed look in her eyes. He removes his arm from his eyes and moves to kneel beside her, closing the distance.

“You wouldn’t.” He dares, meeting her eyes, seeing the happiness there.

“Care to test that?”

“Not a chance.” He grins and stands, holding out a hand to pull up his girlfriend. “We both know you’d win. Again.”

“I keep telling you, even strength bows to wisdom.” She shoots him a knowing smile and he returns it.

“I thought that was only sometimes?”

“Is this foreplay? Is that what I’m seeing right now?” Leo interrupted, turning to speak again to Jason and Piper. “Are they going to sneak away again together and ‘just fall asleep’?”

The last three words are accompanied by air quotes, and both Annabeth and Percy turn to look at them and flush.

“We did fall asleep!” Percy protests. “I told Frank that so many times.”

Annabeth’s face is so pink it makes Piper giggle. “Get it girl!”

“I didn’t! I mean I don’t! I mean-” Annabeth’s blush turns from pink to red in seconds and Percy’s follows. “We only fell asleep.”

Jason claps hands over his ears. “I don’t need to hear this.”

“Weren’t we going to start searching?” Percy breaks in, almost desperately. “You know, looking for the big scary monster so we can start saving innocent citizens, that kind of thing.”

“I don’t know guys, if you think you can be alone together and keep it PG.” Leo says, holding his hands up in a wardIng off gesture. “None of us needs to witness anything personal, you know?”

“Oh my gods,” Annabeth mutters, grabbing Percy’s hands and stepping back. “Okay, Percy and I will look around here for anywhere the monster could be living. Apparently the people’s bodies always show up here, Leo?”

The son of Hephaestus loses his grin and a serious look overcomes his face, making him nod. “Yeah, this is near the place Jason saw. And where Apollo said to land.”

“Good. We’ll go that way. You three?”

“I’ll search from the air with Festus,” Leo says after shooting a quick look between Jason and Piper.

Jason and Piper look at him in surprise before meeting each other’s eyes. “Okay, we’ll…?”

“Search this half of the clearing and a little in the trees?” Piper finishes, waiting until Jason nods. “Meet back here when?”

“For dinner.” Percy says immediately, rummaging through the pack for another sandwich. “Whenever you get hungry.”

Annabeth rolls her eyes and checks her watch. “Let’s say six then. That gives us roughly five hours to look around and find anything suspicious.”

So they’d split up, Annabeth and Percy still holding hands, but not speaking until they’d reached the edge of the trees, because by then Percy had finished his sandwich and worked past his embarrassment enough to start.

Percy had cleared his throat. “So, Piper doesn’t know that we-”

“Yeah.” Annabeth cuts in, her grip on his hand tightening slightly as she studiously looked at their surroundings and not at him. He followed her example. 

“Oh.” Percy replied. “So she thinks that night on the Argo II we really did-”

“Wait, what?” Annabeth glances at him. “No. She knows we didn’t on the Argo II.”

“Then why’d you say yes before?”

“What were you going to ask before?”

“Whether she knew we didn’t do anything on the Argo II.” They stop, hands falling to their sides, looking at each other. “Why, what did you think I was going to ask?”

Annabeth flushes once more. “Nothing.”

Percy grins and looks at her until she meets his eyes. “Come on, what?”

She opens her mouth and closes it again before speaking. “I thought you were going to ask whether or not I told her about the other night.”

“Oh.” Percy closes his mouth, not expecting that, and he feels his face flame.

Last week they’d been at his apartment and Annabeth had slept over. Mom and Paul had been out, wanting one last date night before the baby came.

They’d been alone. In his apartment. No one had been trying to kill them and yeah, maybe they’d gotten a little carried away once they’d started kissing.

So they’d taken a step. A big one. A good one.

“Oh.” He repeats dumbly before his mind starts to work again. “So, wait- you told her? Piper knows?”

Annabeth bites her lip. “I mean, when you ask whether I told her-”

“You did tell her!” Percy asks, not sure whether to be indignant or proud. “What did you say?”

“You know, the same stuff you told the guys!” She hesitates. “Just that it was- it was good, and you were good, and… stuff.”

“What do you mean, same stuff I told them? I didn’t tell the guys.” Percy told her. “I didn’t tell anyone.”

Annabeth looks up at him. “You didn’t tell anyone anything?”

He shakes his head. “You told Piper everything?”

“I- no, not everything! Of course not! But… a lot, I guess.” Annabeth replies. “Don’t you guys talk about stuff like that?”

“No way.” Percy says. “Everyone at Camp is like family, we’re all like brothers and sisters. That would be weird.”

“Huh.” Annabeth says, turning to keep walking. “Yeah, well, Piper knows.”

Percy cocks his head. “What kind of things did you say?”

Annabeth shakes her head. “I’m not going to tell you!”

“Why not? You told Piper! Plus, I was already there! Technically,” he holds a triumphant finger in the air, in an Aha! gesture, “I already know.”

“Yeah but I told her things like, what you did, and how.” Annabeth blushes harder now, if that’s possible. “And how- how much you have to work with.”

Percy stops abruptly. “You did not.”

Annabeth’s face is permanently stained red now and she looks down. “Of course I did. Girls tell each other those things.”

“You told Piper- Piper knows how big- oh my gods.” Percy stumbles back to lean against a tree. He’s not proud anymore, but he’s not angry either. He’s more... stunned. “I can’t believe you told her that!”

“She asked!”

“Why would she ask that?”

“It’s just a curiosity thing!” Annabeth replied. “Believe me, she’s definitely not looking at you any worse for it.”

“Annabeth, oh my gods!” Percy covers his face with his hands. “Don’t tell me that!”

“It’s true! She said Jason’s-”

“No! Nope, we’re not doing that.” Percy shakes his head. “I don’t need to hear anything about that. Gods, I can’t believe you know about- about Jason, and what they’ve done.”

“They haven’t done what we did, so calm down.” Annabeth assures him. “And fine. I’m just saying, you definitely have nothing to be insecure about. She was very impressed.”

“Just leave me here.” Percy tells her, hiding his face in his hands once more. “Here, on this patch of Earth, Percy Jackson made his last stand but was eventually overpowered by the embarrassment of his girlfriend telling all of his secrets to her best friend. May he rest in peace.”

“Don’t be such a drama queen,” Annabeth said, but she’s watching him closely. “I- I didn’t say anything bad, Percy.” She moves to take his hand and stand closer to him. “You know it wasn’t bad for me.”

“It wasn’t great for you either.” He mumbles, thinking back.

“First times usually aren’t for girls.” She reminds him. “Honestly, I’ve heard stories from a lot of different people. I think ours was perfect. Just because I didn’t, you know.” She bites her lower lip again. “It was good. I liked it. Please don’t think I didn’t.”

He sighs. “I don’t want Piper- or anyone else- thinking I’m that kind of guy. Who just- you know, does what he wants and doesn’t care about you.”

“I know you’re not that kind of guy.” Annabeth says. “And believe me, nobody I’ll speak to about this, ever, will think any different. Anyway, next time-”

“Next time?” Percy asks incredulously.

She draws back, cocks a hip, crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow. “I’m sorry, were you planning on remaining celibate for the rest of your life?”

“Well, no.” He blushes. “But shouldn’t we… wait, or something? Do we need to talk about it? We just did it for the first time.”

She laughs. “We don’t have to wait unless you want to,” she reassures him. “And all I was going to say was that next time we’ll be able to help each other out. Improve. Tell each other what we like. Then we’ll both… you know. It all comes from experience, Percy.”

He nods. “Right, yeah. Okay.”

She squeezes his hand. “I’m not trying to pressure you. I just want you to know that all of this… I’m okay with it.”

He meets her eyes, seeing her searching his own for something. So instead of replying he leans forward to kiss her.

It makes his gut tighten from anticipation and a low simmer start in his blood when her tongue slips in his mouth to meet his. When he reaches forward to hold her waist she moves forward, pressing against him, walking him back to lean against the tree and his arms wrap around her and pull her closer once he has that support behind him. Her hands have moved from his to slide up his arms and rest at the base of his neck, one of them playing with the hairs there.

“Maybe Leo was right and we can’t be left alone,” he gasps against her mouth when she pulls away to catch a breath and her grin is as good a reply as any. Now that he knows what she feels like, what all of her feels like, he can’t seem to get enough.

“Soon we’ll have time.” She answers. “When we get back to Camp?”

“With the gods watching who comes into their cabins at night? No thanks, I don’t think your mom would let me live if that happened.”

She sends him a knowing look as they continue to scout the trees after fixing themselves. “Your cabin, obviously. I have siblings that sleep in the same room at night. And be honest, would your dad really turn me into a dolphin?”

“Maybe not him, but your mom would definitely not hesitate to make me an owl. Not to mention if Chiron found out.”

“Chiron pulled you into the Big House and gave you condoms months ago, he told me already.” Annabeth replies, looking down at a pawprint in the ground before moving on. “He’s already given me the safe-sex talk too, if it makes you feel any better.”

“Did everyone thinks we were already doing it?” Percy asks, feeling slightly offended.

“I think the Argo II story got around.” She says back thoughtfully. “Clarisse was sending me some weird looks after we got home.”

“Gods, even Clarisse?” Percy asked. “Hey, do you think she and Chris-”

“Oh yeah,” Annabeth answered right away. “A lot. The long-distance thing does not stop those two.”

“Ew. That was not the answer I expected.” Percy said, wrinkling his nose.

From there the talk devolved into who was crushing on who (Travis on Katie, like always, Reyna on the new arrival, Stacy, at Camp Jupiter), who were the cuter couples around Camp (Juniper and Grover, of course, and Will and Nico), and how Frank and Hazel might come out to visit soon; either that or how soon the two of them would go to Camp Jupiter and visit before college. The summer air was warm and the weather was so beautiful it was like taking a walk in Central Park.

“Can you imagine us in New Rome?” Percy swings their hands back and forth perhaps a bit dramatically but Annabeth doesn’t seem to mind. “Going to school together, safe from monsters… listening to professors drone on and on about normal people stuff, like statistics.”

She hums and he sees a soft smile grace her lips. “Is it awful of me to say I can’t wait? I know someone has to keep saving the world, but I’m going to be happy when it’s not us anymore.”

He squeezes her hand. “Me too.”

They share a quick smile before turning back to scouting the area. It takes them a few hours but finally they each admit that there’s nothing there to find and head back to meet with the others.

Leo is already there and they find him sitting against Festus, head back and soft snores coming from his mouth. Annabeth’s mouth twitches and Percy holds back a laugh with nothing less than sheer willpower.

“He’s exhausted after his mission with Apollo,” Annabeth says softly. “He didn’t get many days to rest at the Waystation with Calypso. We should let him sleep while the food cooks.”

Percy had agreed, and he and Annabeth had set about making a fire and cooking dinner until Piper and Jason showed up a short time later. Piper woke up Leo by knocking his foot softly with her own. “Who’s the princess now, Sleeping Beauty?” She teased him.

Leo started and a jet of flame burst from his left hand. Luckily it landed on the already burning fire, causing Annabeth to fall backwards on her butt in surprise. Percy laughed at her and Jason couldn’t hold back a snort, making her eyes narrow as Leo rubbed at his eyes. “Ah, Pipes what the Hades?”

“Dinner time.” Piper announced happily in answer, handing Leo a cheeseburger and munching happily on her own tofu burger. She sunk down to sit beside him, crossing her legs. Festus shifted but allowed both of them to rest their backs against him.

“So,” Jason sat beside Piper. “Did we find anything?”

Percy and Annabeth both shook their heads while Leo frowned. “No. I mean, I don’t think so. But there was one spot Festus and I flew over and it felt… weird.”

“Weird how?” Annabeth leaned forward to question. “You didn’t see anything there?”

“That’s the thing, it looked exactly the same as the area around it. Nothing strange at all. I don’t know, it just had a weird energy or something.”

Piper frowned. “Weird energy? Like evil spirits energy or something creeping up behind you energy?”

Leo waved a hand in the air, as if batting away pesky questions. “Just weird.” He looked down for a few seconds before shaking his head suddenly. “Look, it’s probably nothing. I’m just stressed from everything going on. There’s probably nothing here for us to find, we should just go back to Camp.”

Percy frowned now and looked at Leo closely, just as Jason said, “But what about the missing people? Apollo’s feeling? My dream?”

“Mortals go missing all of the time.” Leo snapped. “Life sucks, okay, there are kidnappers and murderers. Monsters exist in the mortal world too, not just ours.”

All of them looked at him in surprise at his outburst and his eyes flickered from one pair of eyes to another before he looked down again. “Look, all I’m saying is I don’t think it’s something to worry about. I didn’t find anything. What about you guys?”

Piper watched Leo for a few more seconds. “Well if you’re sure,” she said, moving to place her hand over his. She squeezed and Annabeth saw Leo squeeze back.

“I’m sure.”

Piper nodded and then turned to Jason, taking her hand back to continue eating. “Well we didn’t see anything either. Everything looked normal. What about you two?”

She turned to Percy and Annabeth and Percy immediately flushed when she met his eyes, remembering his conversation with Annabeth earlier. His skin prickled uncomfortably and he looked at Annabeth, silently urging her to speak.

Annabeth, noticing his blush, bit her lip to stop her laughter before replying. “Nothing with us either. As far as I can tell it’s just trees and this clearing. We saw a few animal pawprints but apart from that…” She shrugged. “Seems ordinary.”

Jason poked at the fire with a stick. “That doesn’t make sense. I saw something. And Apollo did too. He said it wasn’t a human doing this. We can’t both be wrong.”

“I think we should go home.” Leo said watching the flames. “Regroup, tell Chiron what we found before coming up with another plan. Maybe they’ll just forget it.”

Annabeth frowned. “I’m with Jason. Something doesn’t feel right. Maybe we’re just looking in the wrong place.”

“But if Leo’s right and there’s nothing to find?” Piper said. “Then we’re just wasting time when we should be focusing on other things. Like recovering from Nero’s attack, for example.”

Leo shuddered. “Don’t like him. Or his toilet seat friend.”

“I think we should go back to Camp too.” Percy agreed. “Talk to Chiron.”

Annabeth looked at him in surprise. “Why?”

Percy glanced at the other three before meeting her eyes. He was trying to tell her something, she could see it, but he never said it out loud. Instead he said, “Piper’s right. We shouldn’t spend time on a problem we don’t know we have and ignore a bigger one. If something else happens we can come back.”

“But people are dying out here!” Jason said. “We can’t just leave them-”

“We also have no idea what we’re up against or how to stop it.” Percy interrupted. “We don’t even know if this is a monster. Leo could be right, there are monstrous people in the world too.”

“And my dream?” Jason challenged. “The creature?”

Percy hesitated, meeting Jason’s eyes, and something in the sea green ones looked pained. “Jason, you don’t even know what you saw. You said it looked like it had four legs and was furry. That could be anything. A wolf, even a bear. Sometimes dreams are just dreams.”

Jason searched his gaze before crossing his arms. “No. You don’t believe that. You think there’s something here.”

“I think we should talk to Chiron.” Percy said firmly. “Do we need to vote on it?”

He turned to face Annabeth and she saw something grim in his expression. She cleared her throat. “No, I don’t think so. Jason, Piper?”

Piper shook her head but Jason kept watching them both carefully. “What is it? What do you two know?”

“Nothing,” Percy insisted. “We scouted the area, that’s all we were meant to do. Chiron will want us back.”

Jason narrowed his eyes. “Fine.”

“Good!” Leo clapped his hands and his voice was bright but he was watching Percy, head cocked. “We’ll leave tomorrow morning.” He looked away from Percy to turn to Festus. “Get ready for another trip, Big Guy.”

It was getting dark by that point and Annabeth managed to grab Percy’s hands when they were packing up the food. “Hey. What was that, back there? You know Jason saw something, and if Leo thought he felt something weird-”

Percy glanced at the others who were sitting by the fire, laughing. “Did you see him?” He asked her in a whisper. “He was talking about feeling something weird and then a second later, bam, he says he made it up? Do you know what that reminds me of?”

Annabeth’s mouth thinned, immediately knowing where his thoughts were at. “The Eidolon’s.”

“Or something like them. The way he snapped at Jason? That wasn’t Leo.”

“You think something’s controlling him.” Annabeth said, and it wasn’t a question. She had a light in her eyes, the same one she got when she had figured out a difficult problem. “You’re right, getting him back to Camp and telling Chiron is the best thing to do. Making him think it’s his own plan is smarter.” She looked at Percy with appreciation. “Have I told you how much I love you?”

He grinned. “I have my moments.”

She glanced at Piper and Jason. “We should tell them.”

Percy frowned. “Can’t we wait until we get back? We know, isn’t that enough?”

“Seaweed Brain,” Annabeth said. “You can’t keep putting this distance between you guys. Especially you and Jason.”

Percy rubbed at his shoulder and looked away. “I don’t know them like you do,” he muttered. “I like them, you know I do, but-”

“I know.” She said gently. “But they’re my friends, Percy, and I think if you tried they would become really good friends of yours too.”

Percy swallowed. “Every time I look at Leo I remember him blowing up New Rome, or making you, Piper and Jason grieve for him for weeks when he let us all think he was dead. Not to mention the way he used to treat Frank-” He faltered. “I remember Jason trying to kill me, and Piper...”

“What about Piper?” Annabeth asked, a bit defensively.

“She knows how big my-” Percy broke off his harsh whisper and looked at her helplessly. “That’s weird.”

Annabeth laughed. “Percy. Leo was under the Eidolon’s control when he blew up New Rome. Same with Jason when he tried to kill you. And yes, Piper knows things about you and me. Do you think that’s what she remembers every time she sees you?”

“Yes!”

“No,” Annabeth giggled. “Not at all. She has more important things to worry about, believe me.”

Percy pouted, slightly hurt at that, but Annabeth just rolled her eyes before getting serious. “As for Leo not letting us know he was alive, believe me, he’s paid for that.”

Nico had told them of his little lineup idea when Leo had arrived back on Festus, Calypso behind her. Piper and Annabeth had joined, a little late, but carried out the punishment like all the rest. Jason had just taken one look at Leo and wrapped him up in a hug, the girls soon to join.

“And Frank’s a big boy, Percy. He and Leo worked it out, didn’t they?” Annabeth looked at him softly. “You don’t always have to protect everybody you know.”

He looked at the fire and Annabeth sighed. “Look, tomorrow we’ll be back at Camp. Maybe you could, I don’t know, try talking to them? This distance isn’t helping anybody, especially on quests like this.”

Percy nodded. “But do we have to tell them? I could be wrong.”

Annabeth shook her head. “No, I don’t think you are. You’re right, Leo’s attitude was weird. And the fact that he was the one to sense the ‘weird feeling’ and then started acting odd? Too much of a coincidence.”

“Hey, lovebirds!” Piper called, winking at Percy once the couple turned towards her. “Care to join us? We’re betting on whether it will be Katie to ask Travis out or the other way around.”

Percy and Annabeth looked at one another, both of them smiling, and Annabeth raised an eyebrow. Percy sighed, shrugged one shoulder and nodded slightly, giving in and admitting that once again she was probably right.

“Oh, no.” Percy answered Piper, taking Annabeth’s hand and dragging her over to sit with them. “You three are late to this game, the Camp has a betting pool about that already. It’s been going on for years.”

“Really?” Jason asked.

Percy glanced at Annabeth and she smiled, warmth in her eyes. Maybe she was right. These three weren’t that bad, and Percy did like them a lot. Maybe he should let his guard down.

“Oh yeah,” Percy nodded, turning back towards them. “There were a lot of betting pools going on. Katie and Travis became the couple to bet on after Annabeth and I, though neither of us knew it at the time…”

oooOOOooo

It’s slowly coming back to him.

His memory. What led him here. He doesn’t recognize where he is, but outside it looks like the same forest they’d been sent to scout. Of course Percy’s not Grover, and trees have never been his strong suit, but he’s pretty sure it’s the same ones.

Like a good 65% sure. Which is enough for him. He’s gone off worse odds before.

Reckless, Annabeth’s voice sing-songs, and Percy almost wants to grin.

As far as Percy can tell, he’s been here for a day, maybe two. Most of the time he’s been unconscious or sleeping, he’s not sure which probably a bit of both, and right now he’s starting to get really, really hungry. And thirsty. The constant drip of water is driving him crazy.

He wants his mom’s homemade lasagna. Annabeth’s PB and J sandwiches. Even one of Piper’s tofu burgers or Grover’s vegetarian enchiladas sounds pretty good-

Grover!

Percy’s thoughts are still slow, and sluggish and he blames that in the fact that he’s never thought of using the empathy link before now.

The only problem is this; he can’t feel Grover.

Percy closes his eyes and concentrates. He’s never really used the empathy link to communicate with Grover it’s usually the other way around with Grover connecting with him in his sleep. Still, there was always this feeling, this tenuous thread in his brain that he could tug or nudge that would make him feel something.

Percy searches his mind, searches every corner he can and feels deep into his very core, but he can’t feel anything. He’s empty.

Which brings another fact to his attention.

Water is surrounding him. It’s dripping from the roof, it’s soaking into his jeans and freezing his skin and bones. Yet there’s no connection, there’s no feeling in his gut or prickling of his senses. He can’t feel the water, apart from how cold and wet it is.

He feels how cold it is because it’s getting him wet. His clothes, his skin… it’s seeping through to his bones.

No matter how hard he tries to dry himself, or move the water away, stop it from dripping, anything, he can’t. There’s just the constant drip, drip, drip and the ice moving through his bones, making him cold and his teeth chatter.

Again he thinks that there’s magic in this cave, because it’s summer in America and he’s absolutely freezing. Sure he’s wet, but he shouldn’t be this cold, should he?

Panic fills him. Blind panic that absolutely consumes every nerve and cell in his body. His powers are gone. His memory is gone. His wrists are rubbed raw and he’s stopped struggling because he feels blood dripping down his arms whenever he moves. His legs are like ice, he has no connection to Grover and no idea where he is or who has him here.

Percy’s control is gone. He’s helpless.

He wants to cry, he wants to scream and yell. He wishes he’d inherited his father’s power over earthquakes, but then again he supposes that he wouldn’t be able to use them.

He misses Annabeth.

Percy misses Annabeth and his mom, Grover, Tyson and Paul. He misses them in that moment so badly it hurts and, not for the first time but definitely stronger than he’s ever felt before, Percy realizes there’s a high possibility that he’ll never see them again. That he’ll never go to college, marry Annabeth and grow old with her.

Gods, he might not even meet his baby sister.

He can’t remember being so powerless.

Somehow he doesn’t cry. Maybe he’s so dehydrated (his throat is like sandpaper, he has a huge headache and his muscles are killing him) that he has no tears.

Instead he breathes deeply. He tries to think of something, anything that could help him. Again, he remembers Riptide and he’s pretty sure the weight in his pocket is the sword. However, without a free hand, Riptide is useless.

He looks up, craning his neck to see what’s holding him up. Chains attached to manacles that are firm and cold metal around his wrists.

Percy cringes. He knows how to escape from manacles, they learn how to escape common bonds at Camp. Of course, all it takes is breaking your thumb. Or is dislocation enough? Percy can’t remember.

He grits his teeth. This memory thing is becoming a real pain.

He looks up again, neck starting to hurt at the bad angle, and wriggles his hands. One of his arm shoots with pain and Percy cries out.

Nerve damage, Seaweed Brain! Annabeth’s voice rings in his ears and Percy breathes deeply, slumping down. Be careful, dummy!

“Ah, finally! You’re awake!”

The deep voice makes Percy yell and scramble backwards as fast and as far as he can, gritting his teeth against the wave of fresh agony, eyes flying open.

Fear, as terrible and creeping as a drug in Percy’s veins, sweeps through him.

Standing in front of him was a giant.

He wasn’t as large as some others Percy had seen, like Polybotes or Porphyrion, and he didn’t look as strong as them either (though Percy knew looks could be deceiving), but there was a look in his eyes that made the fear take root and grow in Percy.

“I thought you would never wake up, just keep moaning and tossing your head around like an animal! It was amusing at first, but lost it’s charm fairly quickly, please don’t do it again.”

Percy opened his mouth, closed it. Opened it again and tried to speak, but a cough and rattle of breath was all that escaped.

“Oh, how rude of me!” The giant clapped his hands and Percy saw something yellow fly from the huge palms at the action. Something that looked almost like… was that egg yolk? “You must be thirsty, I’m so sorry, I’ll grab you some water.”

Percy would have laughed if he could at how distressed the giant seemed to be over his thirst yet completely oblivious to the fact that his entire body was in pain from being hung up and chained.

“And food too!” The giant had a lumbering waddle as he moved past the fire, throwing his features into sharper relief. His hair was pitch black, though it might have been the darkness in the cave, and his scales were a deep, emerald green. He had a large, round forehead with a smooth hairline, but his chin came to a soft point. The cheekbones were angled and sharp, leading Percy’s eyes to his lips, which were puffy and a paler green. His teeth were jagged and yellow, but all there. The giant’s eyes were deep grey and full of intellect, a sharp glint in them making Percy suspect this giant knew exactly the persona he was giving off and the impression he was making. It was a look letting Percy know that this giant was in charge and he knew it.

You know. In case the fact that he was chained to a cave wall wasn’t a big enough clue of who the real boss around here was.

“I will give you my favourite, I just made it fresh!” The giant returned, moving to go next to Percy. His skirt of leather (dark, black leather which hangs in strips from a metal chain at his waist) reaches his mid-calf and flies out slightly behind the monster when he slumped to sit down. “First though, you drink.”

A rather large bowl was placed in front of Percy and he looked at the giant warily.

“No poison, this I promise.” The giant said, eyes solemn, and Percy hesitated. “I do not break promises, Perseus. This you will see.”

The use of his full name made Percy’s gut clench in fear even more. It seemed to be a common trait of his enemies to call him Perseus, one he was quickly tiring of. Percy turned his attention back to the bowl. It was possible this had been the bowl collecting water dripping from the roof and Percy decided if he was going to die here he might as well have a drink first.

He slowly placed his lips to the bowl’s rim and the giant tilted it upwards. Percy could smell the monster’s stench, and again the overwhelming scent of French Toast came over him, surrounded by maple syrup.

Maybe he’s Canadian, Percy thinks stupidly. Then he thinks of Frank and is reminded that he needs to get back home as soon as possible. That means keeping his strength up.

So he drank, slowly at first, and then longer, steadier gulps. Water sloshed over the bowl and landed on his shirt, making him colder than before, but Percy didn’t stop, just kept gulping.

“No.” The giant pulled the bowl away suddenly. “Drink too much and get sick, this I will not let happen. You will drink again after food.”

Percy cleared his throat and finally manages to speak. “Who are you? What am I doing here?”

The giant looked at him as if he was in pain. “Questions and answers after, I have many for you as well. First you will eat. I do not know much of mortals but I think you must be hungry by now.”

He brought forward a plate and the smell strengthened. When Percy looked he saw French Toast and he wanted to laugh.

“French Toast?” He asked instead.

The giant sighed. “One question before we start, then.” He looked back at the plate and brightened. “Yes, French Toast! I love it very much, so sweet. I’m quite taken with it, I’d never encountered it before. Sadly there are no restaurants that sell it for breakfast in Tartarus. Do you not care for it?”

Percy felt like this was all a dream or nightmare. Likely the latter. Or reality, because that’s just how his life seemed to be now.

“Of course.” He said distantly. “I like it too.”

“Perfect!” The giant clapped his hands again, making more egg yolk fly. “Obviously I will feed you as you are a bit, how do you say, tied up at the moment.” He giggled and Percy realized that the monster in front of him might not only be a giant escaped from Tartarus, but an insane giant from Tartarus.

He didn’t say anything. He only bit from the (rather large) pieces of French Toast that the giant held up on a fork for him to eat.

It could be poisoned, Annabeth’s voice goes through his head again but Percy can’t do anything about it. He’s hungry and there’s no way to check and see if the food is going to kill him.

Percy grudgingly admitted that it tasted amazing.

“There, now I hope you are feeling better! Not so sore of a stomach now, yes?”

Percy refused to thank the giant, but he did nod.

“Wonderful. Now, Perseus Jackson,” the giant turned very grave very suddenly. “I would like to introduce myself. I am Aristaeus and we must talk. I have many things to say to you before I ruin you for killing my family.”


	2. Chapter 2

Leo did not feel good.

His head felt like his dad was stuck inside of it, trying to break out with a hammer. He missed Calypso, his sleep had been plagued with nightmares and a creepy voice telling him to go back to Camp as soon as he woke up and on top of that he had been woken by a huge, metal, fire-breathing dragon stomping and flying around acting like a crazy automaton.

Oh and of course, Percy was missing. So there was that.

Gods, the guy needed one of those tracking bracelets or something, Leo thought to himself. Seriously, going missing once when an angry Queen of the Gods kidnaps you is understandable. Twice is practically a hobby.

Did that stop Leo from looking for the guy? Heck no! If it wasn’t for the fact that Leo actually liked Percy (when the guy wasn’t staring at him with a weird, uncomfortable look on his face) it would have been because Annabeth was back to being the scary version of herself, one willing to kill to get her boyfriend back; (and Leo was not in the mentality to handle that, he was too young and good looking to die. Besides, Calypso would miss him).

Of course the risk of death obviously wasn’t a strong enough motivator for Leo to close his big mouth around the scary blonde.

“Alright, that’s Festus ready.” He said tiredly, wiping his eyes. It was dawn and while he’d been loading their things up the others had been standing around coming up with a plan. “Let’s go.”

Annabeth’s bag, one Leo had wisely let her keep, was hoisted onto her shoulder. “Be careful guys.”

“Wait, what?” Jason placed a hand on her arm. “Annabeth, you heard Chiron-”

“Chiron’s wrong.” Annabeth interrupted. “I’m not leaving Percy stranded out here.”

“Babes, he could be anywhere by now,” Piper said softly, watching with worried eyes. “We should go back, try and track him-”

“No.” Annabeth’s voice was final. “Look, I told you two about what Percy and I discussed,” her eyes flicker quickly to Leo and he opens his mouth to ask but a look from Piper quickly has him snapping it shut. His head hurts enough without being yelled at by her too. “I have my pack. I have drachma for Iris-messaging. As soon as I get him I’ll let someone know.”

“Annabeth, we need to go.” Leo said. “Chiron doesn’t want you left behind and-”

“Leo, I’m not-”

“And something weird happened.” Leo said. “Look, my head’s killing me and I can barely remember anything from last night, okay, but I know I dreamt some weird voice telling me we had to leave. Now.” His tone and look softened at the slightly desperate look in her grey eyes. “I know you’re worried, we all are. But it’s not safe out here, Annabeth.”

She swallowed visibly. “I’m not going with you, Leo.” Her voice was soft.

“We’re not leaving you here alone.” Leo says, forging on. “Annabeth, we can come back as soon as we’re done talking to Chiron. We can get help from the others and have everyone out searching. But we won’t let you go alone, not when there’s something out here hurting people and kidnapping them.”

“Whatever it is could be hurting Percy right now-”

“I know.” Leo said gently. This was becoming familiar territory, talking to Annabeth when she was stressed out from her missing boyfriend, and Leo couldn’t say he liked that. Gods knew he’d spent enough time with her working on the Argo II that he was well versed with this side of her. “And how do you think he’d feel if you were kidnapped with him? If he had to watch you be hurt. Do you think that would help him?”

She pauses, the logic getting through to her, making her hesitate. “At least we’d be together.” She says weakly.

“Annabeth,” Piper breaks in. “Come with us. We’ll come back right away, I promise. We’ll break out of Camp if we have to. But we need help, we need to regroup, none of us can do this alone. None of us know what we’re up against.”

Again she hesitates and Leo tries to pout the way he’s seen Percy do when he wants something. “None of us want you to go missing too. We packed for a scouting mission, not a retrieval. We need help”

Annabeth stares at him for almost a minute before sighing, her pack falling from her shoulder to land on the ground. “Fine,” she mutters, adjusting her sword on her back and then grabbing the pack to climb on Festus. “But tomorrow I’m coming back here.”

Nobody argued with her.

It was a quiet journey back to Camp. Leo could practically hear Annabeth making plans where she was sitting behind him, and he couldn’t see or hear Piper and Jason.

When they landed Chiron, Mr. D and Grover were all waiting for them. Leo left Festus to curl up in the sun in front of the Big House and followed the others to Chiron’s office.

After Jason had explained in detail what had happened in the past day Chiron nodded. Leo glanced around and noticed Mr. D watching the centaur carefully, a shrewd look in his eye and Leo wondered what that was all about.

Grover was nervously chewing on his shirt and Annabeth was holding his hand, both of them watching Chiron closely.

The sight made Leo sad. He wondered what it was like for them, having lived this way for over 10 years. Having friends and loved ones disappear, never to come back. Unravelling strange prophecies that didn’t make sense, fighting war after war, saving the world again and again, never getting any rest or time to be with their family. Losing Percy, not once now, but twice.

He saw the fear in Annabeth’s eyes, and he hoped with everything he had that she wouldn’t be without her boyfriend for six months again. He hoped that they’d find him tomorrow, maybe a little scratched up but smiling and waiting for them all, like Percy always seemed to be doing. He’d have the monster killed, the threat would be gone and he’d have escaped and saved everybody once more.

Before Leo had met Percy he’d heard countless stories about him. He’s heard about the quest for the Lightning Bolt, the one through the Sea of Monsters, of going after Annabeth and fighting the Titan Atlas to get her back, making his way through the Labyrinth (something Grover had done twice now, Leo couldn’t even imagine) and finally helping defeat the King of Titans. The absolute love and respect the camp and it’s occupants had for Percy was something Leo hadn’t seen the equivalent of anywhere else, and having him ripped away from them not once, but twice was too heartbreaking to really seem possible if they’d been anything other than demigods.

He’d seen what it was like last time. The slow loss of hope, the way every big announcement had people perking up only to fall harder than their hopes had risen when they found out the news wasn’t involving Percy’s recovery. They way people had looked to Annabeth to guide them but Annabeth had been too lost to take that on her shoulders, so they’d started to look to Clarisse, Katie, the Stolls, (before most of them went back to school), Drew and the other older campers instead.

Leo had never seen anything like that before. He’d been to so many schools that he thought he knew what to expect from a group of teenagers. The popular ones, the geeks, the different cliques that all of the adults liked to think got along but really couldn’t stand one another. The was what Leo was ready for when he arrived at Camp Half-Blood. More snotty, stuck up girls who would be mean to Piper because of her ethnicity. Big, bulky tough guys who would look down on the demigods who couldn’t fight as well and make fun of Leo for being scrawny. A teacher who would turn a blind eye to bullying, or encourage it to make demigods harder, tougher, stronger and used to the hard things in life. A part of Leo had assumed, wrongly, that if so many people missed Percy it must have been because he was top dog here, The Popular Guy™. A part of Leo had been prepared to dislike the guy on sight.

Now that Leo knew him, now that they’d saved each other’s lives and been through a war with one of the oldest entities of the world, Leo could say he’d been totally wrong.

Percy was a super powerful guy. One who had tons of friends and loved ones, and he was popular. But he wasn’t the jerk Leo had been expecting.

Which is why, sitting in Chiron’s office, Leo knew they had to get him back, no matter what. Percy was his friend, but more than that, he mattered to the people here, he made the Camp better. Leo couldn’t just sit back and do nothing, no matter what voices in his dreams said.

The only thing that surprised Leo was that Chiron didn’t seem to agree.

“Percy is capable of taking care of himself.” Chiron said once Jason was done explaining and the rest of them had butt in with any details the son of Jupiter had missed. The centaur had gotten up and was staring into a fountain in the corner of his office, lost in thought. “I will think on what to do tonight, but right now I see no reason to rush back into danger. You will all stay here until I learn more.”

Annabeth stood up. “What is wrong with you?” She demanded, eyes sparking, and Leo shrunk back in his seat at the disbelief and anger on her face. “You would never- last time you were frantic when he disappeared-”

“He disappeared from the protected borders of our Camp.” Chiron said, not turning to look at her, the falling fountain water a steady background noise to their voices. Chiron continued in what was almost a monotone. “We had no idea what it could have been and that meant the other campers were in danger. Yesterday Percy disappeared in the middle of nowhere on a dangerous mission. Sometimes we just have to accept losses.”

Every jaw in the room dropped.

Except Mr. D’s.

“There you go demigods, you have your orders.” He stood up and walked to Chiron, dragging a hand through the water of the fountain, making it ripple and causing Chiron to blink and look up at the sudden proximity as Mr. D clapped him on the shoulder. “Luckily it’s early enough we can have one last game of Pinnacle before lunch, my dear centaur. Why don’t you start setting it up for us?” The god turned his eyes on them as Chiron gave them all a last smile before making his way to the porch. Dionysus sneered. “The rest of you may go.”

“If you think-” Annabeth started, but Mr. D stopped her.

“Except you, Annabeth.” All eyes shot towards him when the wine god used her correct name and Mr. D glanced around in obvious dismissal. “I have a couple of things to discuss with you, girl.”

Grover stood up. “I’m not leaving Percy out there.” He said. “I can’t-”

“Underwood, I am ordering you to go back to your activities in the strawberry fields.” Dionysus turned on the satyr and Grover cowered. “Annabeth will go to check on you directly after I finish speaking with her, is that understood?”

“Mr. D-”

“Is that understood?” The god repeated in the same tone of voice.

Grover’s mouth closed. He stared at Mr. D, glanced to Annabeth who met his gaze and something unspoken passed between them before he nodded. “Understood. Sir.”

Dionysus nodded. “Show these three out.”

Piper and Jason had been silent throughout the entire confrontation, and Leo looked at them both, seeing the mutiny in their eyes that he was sure showed in his as well. He wanted to say something, but Jason looked from Annabeth to Grover before shaking his head.

They all got up and went towards the door. “Close it on your way out, please,” Dionysus called, and Grover didn’t turn back but he did pull the door of the office so that it gently hit the frame, leaving only the tiniest sliver of light to come from the office into the Big House hallway.

“You go on,” Leo told them all quietly, stopping just a few feet away from it. “I’ll tie my shoe and catch up.”

They all glanced at his feet, seeing him pull the lace untied on one shoe. Grover glanced towards the almost shut door, chewed his lip for a second and then nodded. “Hurry,” he told Leo, before going out with the rest of them.

Leo backed up quietly, crouching down to grip the loose laces, ear to the crack between the door and it’s frame. Dionysus was speaking quietly but Leo heard him anyway.

“I don’t have much time, so you must listen to what I tell you the first time. Chiron is not himself.”

Leo heard one of the move and then Annabeth said, “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” the god’s voice lowered, only barely audible over the sound of the fountain. “He is not himself. Those are not his words, this uncaring frontier is not his. I first noticed it when he ordered you all to return here- I have been with this centaur teaching you miserable rats at this camp for decades. Not once has Chiron abandoned one of you in a time of need or left someone in danger. He is not himself, child, do you understand my meaning?”

There was a beat of silence. “You think he’s possessed.”

“Not quite.” Another shuffle. “I think something is taking control of him at intervals and releasing him at others. There is no way of telling when it happens, but I am quite sure. Which means someone must look over him.”

“The same thing happened with Leo, on the mission.” Annabeth said, surprising Leo so much he rocked back and sat down. He listened as Annabeth described his sudden desire to leave the area, the way he said his head hurt and he dreamed that horrible voice… The pieces clicked and Leo was horrified.

He’d been possessed before by the eidolons. He never wanted it to happen again. Not controlling his own actions, watching from afar as somebody else wreaked havoc through his body… it was the most powerless he’d ever remembered being.

“Something is wrong here,” Dionysus said. “And somehow the responsible party has gotten to Chiron. I must stay and watch over him, but we cannot leave Perseus alone to face whatever it is. Which is why I give my permission for you and other demigods of your choosing to leave Camp and get him.”

A gasp. “You what?”

“You escaped the Harpies at 12 years old, I am sure you can do it again.”

“That’s not what I- you would give me permission to go and get Percy back?”

Seconds ticked by and Leo pressed his ear closer, wondering if he’d missed Mr. D’s response.

A throat cleared. “Poseidon would be absolutely insufferable if I allowed the brat to die.”

Another moment of silence. “Thank you, Mr. D.”

“Go.” Is all he said. “Get whoever you need, as a child of Athena you’ll have a good idea of what will be best to take and who. Recover the missing barnacle boy and make sure he is brought back safely. I will watch over Chiron and do my best to stop any interference here in the Camp.”

Leo heard a chair scrape and got up from where he was sitting, ready to get out before Annabeth opened the door, but he didn’t hear footsteps yet. “You’ve never taken an interest in our lives.” Annabeth said. “Even when Tantalus was here, you never seemed to care, and you definitely wouldn’t have let us leave. Not once have you helped us unless the gods were in danger. Why are you doing this now?”

Leo wished he could see Mr. D’s expression when he replied. “I suggest you make haste, Annabel, your boyfriend may be strong but he’s no longer invincible.”

A clear dismissal, one that Leo was able to interpret without even being in the room, and, realizing no more was going to be said, he turned and hurried from the Big House, intending on telling Grover, Jason and Piper everything he’d overheard.

By the time his foot touched the step his mind was blank and he couldn’t remember what he’d been doing in the Big House at all.

oooOOOooo

When Percy got over his surprise at the giant’s words a pit of fear pooled in his stomach.

Instead of showing it though he cracked a smile as best he could. “You might have to write that name down for me.”

Aristaeus grinned back at him, amused at the joke. “It is quite a mouthful compared to your modern way of saying things. Strange names you have now. I heard someone say they were named Diamond the other day. What an odd thing, to be named after an allotrope of carbon. But no matter, Aristaeus is the name my mother gave me and I must honor it, just as you honor your mother by answering to Perseus.”

“Actually it’s Percy,” he told the giant, still not completely back to his senses. Was he really introducing himself to this guy? “I go by Percy.”

“Ah, Percy.” The giant tried it out and nodded. “If that is the form you prefer I will do my best to follow it. It rolls of the tongue strangely, but I am sure I will grow accustomed.” He clapped his hands together again, changing the subject suddenly. “Now! I have many questions for you, demigod, if you would be so kind to answer them, but first, let me tell you a story.”

Percy raised an eyebrow. “A story?”

“The best way to gain understanding is through a story, you should know this better than anyone. Has it not been you telling the camp scribe your tales? You know better than most that history must be recorded.”

“How do you-”

“I wish for you to understand what I am doing here.” Aristaeus cut him off, eyes searching. “Then any questions we have for one another will be answered.”

Percy had no choice but to listen as Aristaeus shifted, getting into a comfortable seated position. The giant hunched forward, putting his face directly in front of Percy’s, meeting his eyes steadily and ensuring Percy was paying full attention.

“I was young when my brothers and sisters first amassed together to overthrow the Olympians thousands of years ago. My mother was angry you see, so desolately angry, and my family was born from that rage. I was not the youngest, nor the oldest. Never the wisest or strongest. It was not me who was dear to all of my siblings, I was not the leader and I was not the scribe. There were few my mother doted on out of us all, and I was never one of them. I was not special out of my siblings. There were better archer's, axe-wielders and sword fighters amongst us. Many of them were better with words, most were smarter and almost all of them were more passionate for our cause. We were created for one reason and one only; to end the gods.”

Annabeth would know all of this, Percy thought. She would know exactly who Aristaeus was, what god he had been created to overthrow and what would kill him.

Annabeth’s not here, he reminded himself, and relief swept through him once more at the thought that she would be spared all of this. He refused to acknowledge the small part of him that wished she was with him, the selfish and scared part that wished he wasn’t doing all of this alone.

“My siblings, the Titans, were the reason for this.” The giant continued. “Kronos has always been Mother’s favourite child. Out of us all it was him who shone in her eyes. He was much like her, but easily malleable to whatever whim she had. When his father, Ouranos, my father’s old rival, grew greedy and paranoid and fell to preying on his children it was Mother who formed the scythe and molded Kronos into what he became. Powerful, to be sure, but short-sighted. He fell prey to his fear as his father did and eventually his wife and sister, Rhea, who was truly lovely, did what she could to save her children and stashed Zeus away to overpower his father. Just as Kronos did to his father, Zeus did to his own, scattering the Titan to the wind and securing his own throne. The God King built a palace in the sky and the mortals worshipped him and his siblings.”

“You must realize,” the giant turned grey eyes on Percy and blinked. Percy jolted back as he saw the third eyelid, sliding closed from one side of the eye to the other, before being covered by the two outside lids. Like an alligator, Percy remembered. Annabeth had told him once that they had three eyelids and showed him a video of an alligator blinking. It was almost exactly the same. “Not to worry, demigod, the story only gets worse,” the giant said, misinterpreting the movement. “No matter. You must realize,” he repeated, “that the Titans were horrible to the mortals and all beneath them. Kronos led the Titans to believe they were masters of not only the world but the universe, more powerful than Chaos itself. They were more powerful than any other beings alive, their parents encouraged them in all of their doings, revelling in the torture of the mortals. Animals lived in fear, the mortals lived in more than that, suffering constant terror. When Zeus defeated his father and the gods defeated the other Titans who rose against them it was hailed as the Golden Age. The mortals were saved, and the gods, well. They didn’t treat them as equals, but they treated them well. Fairly, in many’s eyes. And mortals accepted it, anything was better than the subjugation the Titans had enforced. They didn’t know any better.”

“Of course Zeus was terrified and grew paranoid as well. He never feared his children would overthrow him, but he did fear the mortals would. He split them in two. Instead of having two heads and hearts, four legs and four arms, you were half of what you once were. Instead of having two minds and being twice as strong and intelligent as you are now, you were left weakened. Instead of having room in your heads and hearts to think of other things, your biggest goal in life was now to find your other half, your split half, a journey, I have heard from my siblings, that mortals now call looking for your soulmate, as your reincarnations still wander the world, searching for one another.” For a second the giant sounded almost wistful, looking past Percy to the back of the cave before suddenly turning his eyes back on the haggard demigod before him.

“Do you see what I am saying, Percy?” Aristaeus asked him. “Every ruler of our world has fallen prey to their emotions. They have not played things smart at all, but given in to fear and allowed it to corrupt their minds and make foolish decisions. If Ouranos had not begun consuming his children, he would still be the most powerful being in the universe. Now he is left alone, still powerful, but never able to reign over others again. His son is the same. Kronos could have had the world for eons and instead he got a meager few millennia before his children overpowered him. Zeus is not quite so foolish, but still victim to his feelings. How strong could his army of demigods be if he had kept humans in their original forms? Mortals could have fought for him, defended him, and their offspring could have been a gateway between themselves and the gods, keeping the two groups faithful to one another, cementing them as allies. Instead Zeus cuts himself off from the mortals and treats them as disposable and useless. Demigods like you are nothing but pawns in allowing the gods to survive for a few more millennia. Who cares for your death when there are countless more to take your place?”

Percy doesn’t mean to flinch, doesn’t want to give any sign that the words are affecting him, but he does. Aristaeus notices, his eyes rake over Percy, but he chooses not to say anything.

“I am saying, demigod, that all rulers must fall. All dynasties deserve to fall, eventually. My siblings and I were made to be a part of the gods disgrace from the heavens- never the force behind their loss, only the tool used by all to follow the rules of nature. We were created by Gaea to destroy Olympus and everybody on it. To avenge our brother and sister Titans and right the balance of power. Mother gave us the tools we needed and sent us on our way.”

“Twice now, my family has been overthrown. The first time we were overpowered because we did not know just how strong the gods and their allies were. The second time… we should not have lost at all.”

The giant’s eyes narrowed. “My brother Kronos should never have been defeated. He was the closest any has come to making Olympus crumble, yet he was stopped. Stopped, even though the gods were too busy fighting Typhon to even spare Kronos a glance. Stopped, despite the fact that the Triumvirate was supplying enough money, demigods and materials for the army to win without ever needing to ask for more. Stopped, Perseus, by you. Because you were born.”

Percy looked at him helplessly as the fear came back.

“It’s not all your fault.” Aristaeus assured him, seeing the look. “I do realize that, believe me. I understand your point of view. It was your father on the line, and even if the gods have never treated you well, you heard terrible things of the Titans and believed them to be worse. I cannot fault you, as I am sure in your situation my siblings and I would have done the same as you and your family.”

“But I ask that you look at it from my perspective. You continually thwart our champion, Kronos. You are the sole reason for his demise.” Percy started shaking his head but the giant tut tutted at him and waggled a finger his way. “You are, I assure you. Without your birth the Fates would have woven my brother’s victory. After that you antagonise my mother while she brings us all back to make another attempt on Olympus, once again ensuring our downfall. Without you, Percy, the two camps never would have gotten along. You helped form a bridge between them, one Jason Grace could not have accomplished himself, and that means it is on your shoulders the blame must rest. From there you fall into Tartarus, a place I have been forced to call my home for eons, fought and escaped my father and come back to lay rest to my mother and siblings. It may have been your blood that awakened her, but it was because of you that she was scattered as well.”

The giant looked away. “I was the sole survivor of the first giant war,” he confided. “I escaped the gods and heroes and went to Sicily, where I lived the rest of my life out in peace. It may have been cowardly of me, my siblings certainly thought so when we reunited in Tartarus, but our joy at being together soon overpowered their resentment. In Sicily I was at first alone for a long time. However, eventually I made friends who helped me realize there is more to life than fighting and revenge, than power and ensuring a throne. There is more worth living for. Those friends, who I later thought of as family, came to teach me many things.”

“If you realize that then why am I here?” Percy croaked. “Why are you doing all of this?”

The grey eyes turned back to him. “Perhaps I would have allowed you to leave with the others,” he said. “But you are the root of too much, you are the cause of every strife my kind and I have faced in the past 5 years. You are a plague to us and our allies, Perseus, and I could not allow you to escape when you were so nearby.”

Percy’s thoughts stuck. “The others?” He asked. “They left?”

Aristaeus considered him. “They did. The morning after, almost as soon as they realized you were gone. I was quite surprised in fact. Do demigods usually abandon their own so carelessly like that?”

Percy’s mind reeled, trying to figure out what that meant. Did they try and look for him and give up? What did they think happened to him? Was his disappearance enough to spook them off? Were they looking for him now?

Had they even tried to find him at all?

He jerked his head to the side. No, Annabeth was with them. If anything she would have tried to find him. She would have done everything she could, and if she left it was only to come back and try again. She hadn’t given up on him after six months, there was no way she would after two days.

Which meant Percy had to do all he could to help her.

“You know they left?” He asked again. “How?”

The giant smiled and it almost looked bashful. Percy was disgusted. “During my exile in Sicily my friends taught me many things,” he said again. “Among them was the use of magic. A very powerful, very useful and varied branch of magic.”

“Magic.” Percy said. He remembered Thalia and Hazel manipulating the mist, Hazel’s description of her encounters with Hecate. “To fight?”

The giant grinned. “Among other things. I can scry and look upon your friends from the safety of this cave. I can reach into their minds and twist their thoughts and actions to my will. I could do it to you right now, though there’s no point. I can cloak this cave from all eyes, I can cloak you from anybody trying to find you. That rainbow goddess is nowhere near as powerful as me, and empathy links are a snap of a finger to dissolve. If you’d still had the Achilles Curse it may have been a little trickier but I’m sure I could have managed to remove even that. I’m smothering your powers right now, the very things that make up your soul, with only a little strain.”

Then Percy’s heart stopped. He gasped and tried to breathe air in, but the action was empty. His lungs expanded, full of fresh air, but his body screamed in protest.

“That’s me,” Aristaeus said, a glint in his eye and pure joy and excitement on his face. “That burning in your lungs, the slow, treacle feeling of your brain, that’s all because I can stop your heart with a single thought.” He smiled and Percy felt his heart pump forcefully again, blood flooding through his veins and he gasped from the sudden pain of it, breathing in air greedily.

“I could end you with a thought, I can look through your mind and control you just as easily. I am like no foe you have ever faced demigod, believe that.”

Percy kept gasping but he managed to raise his watering eyes to meet the giants. “Then why am I alive?” He croaked. “Why aren’t I dead by now?”

The glint left the giants eye and for a second he looked almost nervous. “I am the last trick the Triumvirate had. They may be gone, but I am all that’s left of the final uprising. Without them the Titans couldn’t have risen, the giants couldn’t have almost won the second giant war, Apollo would not have been weakened as he was and the gods could never have been so divided over their children, their morals, actions and history, as they are now. They would not have closed Olympus to you all and betrayed you. They would not have put you in danger and made you so resentful of them, you demigods never would have lost the numbers you have and been forced to such helpless anger.” Aristaeus looked at him curiously. “I saw the darkness rise up in you Percy, when you were in Tartarus. That anger, that rage, I know what you feel. It’s inside of you now, I can tell without even going in your mind.”

Percy flinched, ignoring the words. “You still haven’t told me why I’m alive.”

“Because I will not destroy this for everybody. I am the last hope my family has, and if I have learned anything from history, it is that recklessness causes destruction. I will think out every move I make, use every shred of knowledge I can to win and bring my family back. The gods will fall, as they inevitably must, by my hand. Whether you call it chaos, Ragnarok, the end of the world or doomsday, every being knows the end will come, one way or another. I am going to be the cause of the god’s end. I may hate what you mean for my family, what you have done to us and what you represent, but I don’t think I hate you. I hate what you allow, what you have achieved and everything you lead others to accomplish in your wake, but I honestly see good in you. It’s a dilemma. I have not killed you because I don’t have all of the information yet, nor am I at my full strength. My beastie has yet to bring back another mortal and I have to make plans and backup plans. I have to see whether or not I can convince you to join my side, to see things the way I do and become an ally. You would be a valuable asset if I can make you see reason. Then, Perseus,” Aristaeus stood up and moved to the back of the cave leaving Percy to watch him go, “and only then, will I decide what to do with you.”


	3. Chapter 3

Piper didn’t feel good about any of this. 

Even before Percy went missing Leo had acted odd. Now he was behaving stranger than ever. 

“So what did they say?” She asked him when he caught up with her, Jason and Grover at the strawberry fields. His bright orange camp shirt contrasted starkly with the rich, brown earth and the green grass around them. She supposed all of them looked the same.

“Hmm?” Leo replied carelessly. “Oh, I don’t know. Not much.”

Jason frowned, looking at him. “What?”

“I mean, I can’t really remember.” Leo said frowning. “Who are we talking about?”

Grover glanced from Leo to Piper and Jason. “Umm… is that normal?”

“Leo.” Jason grabbed his shoulders, forcing their friend to meet his eyes. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

The son of Hephaestus frowned and took a few seconds to think. “We got back here and went to talk to Chiron… he said to forget about Percy.” Leo nodded. “Sounds smart, I mean whatever it is that took him must be dangerous. We shouldn’t put anyone else in danger.”

Grover bleated nervously. “Bah-ah-ah, what’s wrong with him?”

Piper gently pushed Jason from where he was standing and took his place. “Leo,” she said, layering her voice with charmspeak, “or whatever it is that’s in Leo’s mind. Think back. Remember. You were listening to Mr. D and Annabeth. What did they say?”

Leo’s eyes focused on her and lit up. “A charmspeaker!” He exclaimed, and the voice was Leo’s but the way he spoke was not. He couldn’t be described as anything except excited and interested. “Now that’s intriguing.”

Piper’s mouth dropped and Jason put a hand on the small of her back before stepping forward once more. 

“Who are you?” Jason stood beside Piper. “What are you doing to Leo?”

“Guys, what the Hades are you talking about?” Leo said, and his voice was back to normal when he said it, eyes focused on Jason, the usual crazy grin in place. “Why are you all looking at me like that?”

Grover whimpered. “Not good, oh that’s not good at all.”

Leo focused on Piper and whatever he saw made him go from smiling to serious. “Hey, Pipes, what is it? You look worried. Don’t worry, we’ll find Percy.”

“Leo,” Piper whispered, “you-”

“You tripped.” Jason interrupted loudly. “And Piper caught you.”

Piper turned with Grover and Leo to look at him. “What?” 

Leo’s eyebrows were raised and he looked from Grover to Piper. “Hey, is Jason okay? He’s acting weird.”

A sound escaped Piper, like she’d been punched. Annabeth had told them this morning, had warned them both that Leo wasn’t himself and something was controlling him. Piper had believed her but… but that didn’t mean she liked seeing it happen. That didn’t mean seeing and hearing the proof was fun for her.

“You tripped,” she agreed with Jason faintly, meeting his eyes. “I caught you.” 

And maybe there was a little charmspeak in her voice because Leo nodded and didn’t ask anymore questions, making Piper’s stomach twist with guilt. She had promised, had sworn to herself that she would never use charmspeak on her friends unless it was absolutely called for. This felt wrong. Maybe if they told Leo the truth he would understand. 

Grover bleated again and before Piper could say anything else Annabeth appeared before them. 

“Annabeth, thank Gods,” Grover said. “What happened?”

Annabeth’s face was grim but there was a determination there that made Piper perk up. Something was going to be done, knowing Annabeth she wouldn’t take Chiron’s command laying down and Piper was ready for action.

“Don’t get too comfortable here,” Annabeth told them all, meeting each one of their eyes. “We’re grabbing lunch, Iris-messaging New Rome and then packing our things. Hopefully we’ll be back in Iowa by dinner.”

oooOOOooo

Piper entered Zeus’ Cabin with her pack slung over one shoulder, her showered hair freshly braided and her body clothed in clean, fresh clothes. Her dagger was strapped to her hip, a comforting weight when so much around her was uncertain. 

Annabeth had told them everything Mr. D had said and Piper’s mind was reeling. Right now she just wanted to be near her boyfriend; he always seemed to calm her down and make her think rationally. 

And maybe a small part of her just wanted to make sure he was still here. Boyfriends seemed to go missing left and right these days and Piper wasn’t about to take any chances.

Jason was still stuffing things into his bag when she closed the door behind her, and he looked up briefly before going back to the pack with a frown. 

“I Iris-messaged New Rome. Frank and Hazel are meeting us back in Iowa.”

Something was off in Jason’s tone and Piper immediately grew concerned.

“What is it, Sparky?” She murmured as she moved closer, her bag slipping from her shoulder and falling to the ground behind her as she closed the distance between them. 

Immediately Jason’s arms opened and he held her close. She breathed in deeply and melted against him. Jason’s arms were quite possibly Piper’s favourite place to be in the world, and as she turned her head she felt his heartbeat against her ear, a steady rhythm, that helped soothe the anxiety running through her veins. 

The thunderstorm above them rumbled quietly away in the background. Sometimes Piper wondered whether Jason even liked the Zeus Cabin. It always seemed so cold to her, sterile and unlived in. Jason had tried to make it his own but one corner didn’t change the feeling from the rest of the room.

“I feel helpless.” Jason muttered to her, breath tickling the hair around her ear.“I didn’t notice Leo acting odd yesterday. Percy was taken right under my nose- I was the one on watch, Pipes, and I don’t know what happened, I can’t remember falling asleep. Now Chiron can’t be trusted, we have no idea what we’re up against and Mr. D is the only one helping us. This feels hopeless.”

Piper tightened her arms around him, pulling him closer. “Okay, one, Mr. D is a god, so any help from him is probably better than help from someone else.” Jason breathed out again, ruffling her hair once more, and Piper closed her eyes. “Two, only Percy noticed Leo acting odd. Even Annabeth didn’t catch it. You can’t blame yourself for that.”

“We’re his best friends,” Jason started and Piper cut him off. 

“Which means we’re used to him being comfortable enough around us to argue and voice his opinions like he did.” Piper turned and kissed his chest through his t-shirt. His arms tightened around her for a second before relaxing. “You can’t blame yourself for not noticing one tiny detail. It’s amazing any of us caught it.”

“Percy did,” Jason muttered, and she could practically hear him frown. “I was on watch. Last night, it was me that was supposed to be on look out and I must have fallen asleep because everything was normal and next thing I know Festus is roaring and stomping around looking for Percy.”

Piper pulled away enough to look up at him, staying close enough that her hands rest on Jason’s sides. “Jason…”

“This never would have happened if I hadn’t failed.”

“Stop that.” Piper said sharply. “We know this thing has magic, or an ally of it does. Otherwise all of this with Leo and Chiron wouldn’t be happening. Maybe it made you fall asleep, it might not have been your fault at all.” Her eyes softened as she stared into his. “This is not on your conscience, Jason.”

It took him a while but eventually Jason nodded at her words. “I guess I’m just worried,” he said finally. “About Percy. Last time this happened I had my own issues to deal with and we weren’t here those first few days after Hera switched us. It’s not like I even knew the guy back then. But now-”

Piper nodded. “I know.” Memories of Percy and Annabeth laughing, of him kissing her, of Percy ruffling Nico’s hair and pushing Jason in the canoe lake or trying to outeat Grover and Clarisse at dinner one night came back to her and Piper cleared her throat. “I can see why the whole camp freaked out last time,” she said quietly.

Jason nodded. “And maybe a part of me keeps thinking- what if it had been you? What if they’d taken you instead of Percy?” Jason’s eyes became stormy and his expression was pained. “I don’t know how Annabeth does it, Pipes, I don’t know how she keeps doing it, because if it was you-”

Piper’s heart warmed at his words at the same time as her stomach felt like it was pierced. She’d never even thought about that, the idea was too foreign a concept for her to even fathom. Jason kidnapped? Jason taken from her? 

She couldn’t even begin to imagine.

“It’s not me,” she says quietly to him. “And it’s not you. We’re both here. Safe. Together.”

Jason meets her eyes steadily, his gaze heavy and full of meaning. The tips of Piper’s toes warmed at the look in them and when he leaned down and his lips pressed to hers she opened hers willingly, needing the comfort and reassurance.

Of course that’s when Leo burst in.

They pulled apart quickly but not fast enough for Leo to not have seen them. 

Being their typical best friend Leo clapped his hands over his eyes and started acting like a 5 year old. “Ahh, it burns, it burns! Make it stop!”

Piper scoffed. “Calm down, Leo.”

He peeks through his fingers before dropping his hands. “Oh good. Annabeth sent me here, she said she doesn’t know whether I should come and that I should ask you two.”

Piper and Jason glance at each other and Leo’s fingers spark. 

“Okay, guy’s, what’s going on? Do you know how offended I was when Annabeth told me to ask you two for permission on whether or not I should come along and help get Percy? I thought she was kidding at first and then she said she was serious and it was up to you two but she couldn’t deal with this issue right now. What issue? Why am I not allowed to come? What did I do? Is it because I snore, because believe me, Pipes, you and Percy both do that too and I don’t see Annabeth not letting you come along-” Leo may be trying to keep his voice cheerful and humorous but Piper reads the hurt in his eyes. It’s clear as day and she bites her lip, warding off guilt once more. “Seriously,” Leo says. “You don’t want me around or what?”

Piper looks down and forces Jason to answer for them.

“Gods no, Leo, of course not! It’s definitely not that, it’s just…”

“Something’s possessing you,” Piper blurts out, and then her face flames.

Leo physically reels backwards, hitting his back against the door of the cabin. “What?”

Piper moves towards him, grabbing a hand. “Not right now, at least, I hope not. It comes and goes, I think. Remember what Annabeth told us Mr. D said to her? About Chiron being controlled at intervals? The same thing happens to you, and every time it does you forget.”

“Like- like the eidolons?” Leo asks them, looking back and forth between the two pairs of eyes.

Jason shakes his head. “We don’t know what it is, or how. We didn’t even notice the first time, it was Percy…” He trails off. “Anyway, Annabeth must not be sure whether taking you will be better than you staying here.”

“But we’re not leaving you behind.” Piper says firmly, the guilt making her voice sure, leaving no argument. “You’re coming with us, of course you are. The two of us can watch over you if Annabeth wants to focus on finding Percy.”

Leo’s watching her like he’s spooked, willing to jump at any sudden move. “I shouldn’t go.” He says finally.

They both start to protest and he shakes his head. “I could- gods, I could kill one of you in our sleep or- or I could help whatever it is without anybody knowing. Me going is a bad idea.”

“Of course not.” Jason says. “You’ll come. Festus won’t leave without you, and beside, we can visit the Hypnos cabin or the Hecate cabin and see if any of them can help you. Piper can try charmspeaking you again, warding your mind or something.”

Leo met their eyes. “I don’t want to hurt you guys.” He said desperately, sadness and vulnerability shining in his brown eyes, voice cracking. “I can’t do a repeat of New Rome guys, I just- I can’t.”

Piper’s heart broke. 

“You won’t.” She promises him, speaking in his ear because she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. “We won’t let that happen. Jason and I have got your back.”

Leo swallowed loudly beside her. “Promise?” He whispers into her hair as he grips her back tightly.

Piper grips him tighter, turning her face into his neck, pressing her forehead against the skin there. “Promise,” she answers.

She means it.

oooOOOooo

Aristaeus comes back soon after he walks away, but Percy’s still reeling from his story, from the accusation and the thought that the giant could think he could convince Percy to join him, even for a second. 

Percy’s shaken, trying to deny that there’s any reason for Aristaeus to think that way in the first place. 

“I won’t help you,” he croaks. Maybe he understands where the giant is coming from, and he can’t help but feel sorry for him. Being the last of your kind, having your family killed before you and escaping just to feel safe is something Percy can’t imagine. He can’t picture having no more Mom to bake him blue cookies and no more Annabeth, so for that alone he pities the giant.

But the gods are better than the Titans and the Giants. He knows that. Maybe they’re not great, not even good, but they are better than anything else the world has to offer. He’s seen enough of them to believe that. 

Percy has to believe that, otherwise there’s no point to what his life has been for the past five years. 

Don’t give up. Annabeth’s face fills his mind. 

“I can’t.” He says, more to himself than to Aristaeus, but the giant doesn’t seem to mind. He sits down before Percy once more and meets his eyes. 

“There is not even a little part of you,” the giant wonders, sounding genuinely curious, “that would see the gods struck down? You could bring about a new age, Percy, a new reign. We would never rule single-mindedly like Zeus, my family would allow all voices to be heard from all kinds of beings. I hear mortals have a way of ruling very similar, one you call democracy?”

Percy just stares at him, neither confirming nor denying the question. He’s starting to feel the pain in his wrists again and his knees are definitely bruised now. 

The giant continues.

“With your help we could accomplish that. Taking down the gods, raising Kronos and Porphyrion to lead us all, bringing peace and true happiness to everybody. You could become an advisor Percy, a councilman, the representative of the mortals. Your voice would be heard, you would make change and the mortals would never fall by the wayside because you would never let that happen. Can you picture it? You would live on Olympus, you would help people.” Aristaeus smiled. “All that anger you feel at being used would be put to good use. No one would dare use you again, and you would stop the same from happening to anybody else.”

Percy grit his teeth. He’s known since he was 13 that hubris isn’t his fatal flaw and the ploy doesn’t tempt him. Percy has a pretty good idea what would happen if he ever got a chance to rule, and he can’t picture it being anything except a disaster. “I’ve seen what Kronos intends for Olympus. What he does to accomplish his goals and the way he uses people tells me all I need to know about what kind of leader he would be. So no thanks.”

“Perseus, you misunderstand. The fall of the gods will happen, it is as inevitable as your death. Wouldn’t you rather be a part of that than fighting helplessly, knowing you’ll be defeated and dying for a cause you do not truly believe in? You could save your loved ones and make certain that they would have the lives they’d always wanted. They could have riches, luxury, and most of all, peace. No more quests, no more untimely death or worrying for your safety. Just all of you together, working to maintain the better world.”

The only sound was the fire crackling and spitting behind the giant as Percy’s head hung and he breathed in deeply, eyes closed. He was tired, his body hurt like he was bathing in the River Styx again, but he had enough of his resources and sense of mind to let the word out. “No.”

The blow came suddenly and it wrenched his entire body to the side. The only reason he didn’t fly through the air to collapse on the ground was because of the chains holding him to the wall, and he cried out as the giant’s hand hit his side. He heard something crack and his ribs felt like they’d exploded. His wrists were screaming and he felt blood flow down his arms. Every breath hurt him more and he gasped over and over, trying to get air that wouldn’t come. 

“I’m sorry, oh Mother, I am so sorry, Perseus, believe me, I deeply apologize.” The giants hands had flown up to cover his mouth immediately after his action, and he whimpered as if he was horrified at himself. Now his hands were hovering just beside Percy, not daring to touch him but obviously wanting to. “Oh Gaea, oh Styx,” he began muttering to himself. “Mortals are weaker, they are frail and fragile and small, Aristaeus, don’t be ignorant!” 

Percy groaned, collapsing further. “Let me go.”

He wanted to laugh after, because he hadn’t intended on saying that at all and he was starting to lose any shred of hope he’d had that he was going to get out of this situation. He didn’t laugh though because he didn’t have the breath to.

“I apologize, Perseus.” Aristaeus was talking to him again but Percy didn’t even try to lift his head to meet his eyes. He tried turning his wrists in the handcuffs and cried out again at the pain. They must be swollen, everything felt tender, and he could still feel liquid flowing from them.

“Don’t try to move,” the giant advised. His voice was a booming volume and Percy squeezed his eyes shut in a cringe. He was starting to get dizzy again. The pain was making him feel sick. “It will only worsen the wounds. I am truly sorry for my actions, sometimes my temper gets the better of me, and I so rarely have such an available outlet for it. I promise I will do all I can to ensure it never happens again.”

Percy’s head lolled to his shoulder and, with the pain blooming from a point in his ribs dulling his thoughts, he heard the giant curse again before all he knew faded away.


	4. Chapter 4

Nico was a 15 year old boy and in his first relationship, which meant, the majority of the time, all he wanted to do was make out with Will Solace. 

It also meant that, the majority of the time, making out with his boyfriend was the last thing he actually got to do.

The son of Hades was very particular about their make out spots. Where Will was fine with public displays of affection, Nico liked privacy. He felt uncomfortable around people at the best of times, so when he had someone’s tongue down his throat (even if it was a very welcome tongue) it was hard for him to really relax if anyone other than Will was in the immediate vicinity. 

But the Hades cabin? Yeah, that was totally fine. In fact, it was their prime make out spot because nobody except Nico and, by extension, Will, ever went in there unless something truly awful had happened. 

(If the two of them happen to spend a lot of time in the Hades Cabin it was no one’s business but their own, no matter what Percy might say.)

Nico was still getting used to being in a relationship. He was young, he and Will had started going out right after the end of a war and neither of them was very comfortable at being together with someone else in the beginning. It was new for both of them. They got to know each other a little better every day and now Nico knew everything from Will’s mother’s favourite song to his morning routine. 

(Yes, they’d fallen asleep together once or twice. They’d been dating for close to a year, sue them.)

They were taking things slow and Nico was okay with that. He was okay with kissing and a little touching. To him it wasn’t really about the physical side of things- though he enjoyed that too, don’t get him wrong- but the fact that it was Will that he was with. Will was the one he laughed with and teased, the one he bent the rules for and got to smile at from across the training arena.

Of course, when the opportunity presented itself and Will turned to him with that smile and look in his eyes and asked, “Wanna go make out?” Nico immediately said yes, grabbed his hand and they escaped to Nico’s bunk. 

One thing about Will? His lips left fire in their wake. 

Nico gasped as the trail Will kissed down his neck made it’s way to his collar bone. He burned where Will’s skin touched his, like the result of the sun getting too close, but Nico just arched into it because that’s the thing about the sun; you seek out the warmth, even if you know you could get burnt in the process.

Hands made it’s way under his t-shirt and Nico groaned as Will’s hips dipped momentarily to brush against his, wrenching a mewl out of the demigod above him. 

Nico loved this, the way Will’s eyes got so dark the pupil almost entirely swallowed the blue, and he loved the sounds he could get from Will in moments like these ones. 

He was just in the process of getting Will’s t-shirt off his body and throwing it to the floor when there was a knock on the door.

“Nico, it’s Annabeth.” 

Nico huffed a breath and fell back against the mattress, a frown on his face as Will met his eyes and started chuckling before going back to kissing his chest. 

“Go away!” He yelled, and was impressed when his voice only came out slightly hoarse. 

“This is important,” Annabeth said, “I’m coming in, Will make sure you both have clothes on.”

Both of their faces flamed and Will rested his head against Nico’s chest and cursed. “Why do the Fates hate us?” 

Nico stared up at the bunk above them. “I don’t know, maybe we were politicians in another life.”

Will snorted and rolled off. “Okay, come in Annabeth!”

Nico crossed his arms, glaring at his boyfriend. “This is my cabin you know, I should be the one to invite people in-”

Annabeth walked in and Nico stopped talking at the sight of her. He’d seen that look on Annabeth’s face exactly one time and his stomach twisted. 

Both Nico and Will sat up, swinging their legs over the side of the bed and watching her closely. 

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly, holding the son of Hades’ gaze steadily. Her eyes had always intimidated him, but now, more than ever, the look in them made Nico uncomfortable and he suddenly didn’t want to hear the words fall from her mouth. “But I need you to check if Percy is dead.”

Will physically recoils while Nico blinks. “What did you just say?”

“Please.” Annabeth continues, voice shaky. She doesn’t repeat herself and Nico doesn’t try and force her to- he suspects she wouldn’t be able to without breaking down. “Something took him and we can’t- nobody knows where he is. Please Nico.”

His eyes search hers, looking for any sign she might be messing with him, but there’s none. 

After that there’s nothing left for him to do but close his eyes after she speaks, and slowly calm his breathing. Nico forgets everything, stripping the layers of reality around him away until he probes for Percy’s life. 

He can’t find it. 

Nico’s nose scrunches as he closes his eyes tighter, searching frantically. The way his power works is simple, really, once he’d become attuned to it. He feels people, he feels the life in them or the life they used to possess, and, sometimes, he can wrap his fingers around that essence and pull it back to the surface for short moments of time. It’s how his skeletons come to life. It’s how he can pull the life out of someone if he wants to. 

Thoughts of Reyna and her father flash through his mind but he pushes those away quickly. He concentrates on Percy, and it helps, having all of the memories and history with him that he does, because it gives him a better idea of what to search for, but he still comes up empty.

Last time Percy had gone missing he’d been able to feel he was alive when Annabeth asked. He hadn’t been able to locate him or really give any indication to whether he was hurt or not, but he had known he was alive. (Of course right after he’d done that he’d gone to visit Hazel in New Rome and search a little for Percy himself. Not that anyone else needed to know that.)

This time he just feels… nothing. 

When Leo had died, Nico had felt it. He’d been able to feel the absence, sense Leo’s spirit down in the Underworld. When Nico searches for Percy he can’t find anything.

Nico’s eyes open and he finds both of the blondes staring at him, Will with wonder in his eyes (and Nico has to admit, the sight of that never fails to surprise him, and maybe it makes his stomach flutter a little) and Annabeth looking crestfallen before he even speaks.

“I can’t find him.”

She nods, her face crumples, and Nico’s up in an instant, moving towards her, gripping her shoulder and elbow in case she needs the support. Usually he’s not so touchy-feely with a person, but he’s always had a different relationship with Annabeth. Her face makes a tear rip open in his chest and he refuses to think about what this means, the fact that Percy seems to have completely disappeared from the face of the Earth, or at least what Nico can feel of it.

“So he’s dead.” Will says, making Nico look away from Annabeth to his boyfriend.

He shakes his head, ignoring the pang in his chest at Will’s words, delivered in such a flat, disbelieving tone. “I- I don’t know. I just can’t find him. He’s not in the Asphodel Fields, or the Isles of the Blessed, or the Three Judgement Lines. He doesn’t seem to be in the Underworld at all. But I can’t feel him above and I don’t know whether he’s alive either. It’s like he never existed in the first place and there’s nothing to find with no absence left behind.”

Annabeth straightens, moving her arm to make Nico’s hands fall from her. She catches his hand though, and grips it hard.

“Whatever has him has magic.” She says to the two of them, and her voice only wavers slightly on the first two words before growing strong. “We know that. Is it possible that could hide him from you Nico?”

She looks so desperate for a logical explanation and Nico thinks about it. “I’m not sure. Probably. I’m nowhere near as strong as my father, something could be blocking me from feeling him.”

“Would Hades know?” Annabeth asked him and Nico’s eyes flashed to her, watching carefully. 

“Probably,” he says again slowly, and she nods.

“Nico, would you Iris-message him?” She asks and his eyes widen. “Please, I wouldn’t ask if- I can’t do six months again, and this time not knowing whether he’s even alive- please. It’s Percy.” She sounds so desperate, her sentences cut short because she refuses to even contemplate the idea.

Nico sighs, not even sparing a second to try and fight with her or himself. It was Annabeth. And they were talking about Percy.

Which meant Nico would do whatever he could to help. 

“Of course,” he mutters, and Annabeth drops his hand. He flexes his fingers, feeling the blood rush back to them and can’t help but be grateful at the release. “You know I- of course I will.”

“Thank you, Nico.” She says, so earnestly that he can’t do anything but nod. “I’m leaving soon, hopefully within the hour, but if it takes longer than that maybe you could message me when we land back in Iowa.”

“Annabeth,” Will interrupts them, standing up to walk over. “What happened?”

Annabeth’s eyes turned even stormier than usual. “Percy’s been kidnapped, when we were on our scouting mission. In the middle of the night, when we were all sleeping, something just came and took him. We have no idea what or who it is.”

Nico closed his eyes again, regaining his breath. Misery seemed to follow Percy even more than it trailed Nico, and he felt the worry in his chest spread and curdle into fear.

“I’ll talk to my father,” he tells her, having missed Will’s reply and opening his eyes to see Annabeth turning to leave. “And I’ll let you know what he says.”

Annabeth smiles at him, a small, grateful smile. “Thank you, Nico.”

And then she’s gone.

Nico turns to Will, shifting slightly. “Erm, you don’t have to stay-”

“Oh I’m staying,” Will says, sitting back on Nico’s bed. “Don’t worry, I’ll be quiet. He won’t even know I’m here.” Will’s fiddling with his fingers while he speaks but looks up at Nico suddenly. “Unless you really want me to go, then-”

“No.” Nico says, surprising himself. “Stay. Just... be quiet while you stay.”

Will smiles at him, moving his hand to show a zipper locking his lips shut and him throwing away the key. Nico rolls his eyes and turns to look around, trying to find something to use for an Iris-message.

Then he remembers Percy has a new water fountain in his cabin and turns to Will. “Come on.”

“Hey, we shouldn’t be doing this.” Will says when he realizes what they’re doing, just outside Cabin 3’s door. “Percy’s not here, who knows what his dad might-”

“Don’t be silly.” Nico says, opening the door and stepping through into the cabin. “Hurry.”

Will hesitates but after a pointed look from Nico he scrambles inside.

Percy’s cabin is a mess, but Nico isn’t surprised. The clothes on the floor, the photographs and Minotaur Horn on the wall, the hidden chocolate and Coke cans in the bedside table drawer is all extremely familiar. With a quick glance around he snatches the drachma from his pocket determinedly and throws it in the fountain.

Hades does not notice when the Iris-message connects. 

No, he’s too caught up in what he’s doing and the only thing that makes him notice the Iris-message is Nico gagging at the sight of him and his step-mother necking and giggling like kids on a chaise lounge Nico knows is in Persephone’s receiving quarters.

“Ew, Dad, gross!” Nico throws his hands over his eyes and hears Will choke behind him. “Stop!”

Hades visibly jumps and curses while Persephone just freezes before sighing and moving her skirts and dress back in place. Both turn to look at the Iris-message and where Hades looks embarrassed and guilty Persephone just looks irritated, raising an eyebrow in silent question. 

“Your son would like to speak with you it seems,” she speaks finally, and the tone is so cool Nico feels the chill from here.

Hades looks at her now, the guilty look transforming into one of regret. “My dear if you could…”

The eyebrow lowers and Persephone sighs again, standing up with more grace than Nico’s ever seen, holding her dress in one hand and stepping carefully away. “Kicked out of my own chambers, how shocking.” She mutters. “Do try not to take too long,” she tells her husband, and then she glares at Nico before walking out of his line of sight. He hears a door click and hopes it’s the one to her private garden and not her bedroom. He doesn’t need to imagine her waiting there for his father.

“It’s summer,” Will hisses in Nico’s ear. “Why is she there?”

“Sometimes she sneaks out to see him,” Nico answers quietly. “Over the years Zeus got a lot more lenient and tired of my dad and her complaining all summer. Demeter turns a blind eye for a couple of hours or just doesn’t notice anymore.”

“I thought the Underworld Queen hated your dad?”

“It’s complicated,” Nico hisses back, not really wanting to explain the love affair of his father and his step-mom. “Now shh.”

“Nico.” Hades turns his eyes on him. “What is it?”

It’s not the warmest welcome, but he wasn’t expecting one. 

“I need you to check whether Percy Jackson is dead.” Nico says bluntly, making his father arch an eyebrow in reminiscence of his wife.

“Percy Jackson,” his father sneers.

Nico nods.

“And why would I do that? Surely he’ll pass through here eventually, or one of his adoring fans will miss him. You’ll know soon enough whether the brat’s alive.” Hades says, tone cold. “One way or another.” He lets that sink in. “What possible reason could I have for looking into that demigod?”

“Because I’m asking you to,” Nico replies, and Will inhales sharply behind him.

Hades’ eyes narrow and he looks around his son. “And who would this be? Young Will Solace, I presume? I would hope so, Nico, it would disappoint me greatly to know you were messing around with another boy behind your boyfriend’s back.”

Nico chokes and coughs so hard his eyes water. Will thumps his back and looks like he’s expecting to be smited at any second. “Er, yes, sir. Will Solace.” He bows and, after making sure Nico isn’t going to suffocate, disappears from Hades’ view. 

“How do you-” Nico starts.

“Apollo was back on Olympus two days ago,” Hades says disdainfully. “The first thing he did was contact me and inform me that we should be expecting wedding bells soon. Then he led me into a conversation of talking about how proud of our sons we are, and how perfect it was that you both had found one another. A perfect contrast between light and dark he called it.” Nico takes in his father’s expression and finds it thoroughly unimpressed. “Really, for a god of poetry he thoroughly lacks skill or originality in the genre. I told Zeus that Apollo wasn’t serious about it, but did he listen? No, and now we have a god of poetry who hasn’t produced anything except haiku’s for the past century. Really, it’s quite disheartening.” Hades sighs and looks up. “Of course, meaning no disrespect towards your father, Solace.”

Will peeks over Nico’s shoulder. “No offence taken sir.”

Nico can’t believe this is happening. 

“You know I have a boyfriend?”

Hades’ eyes roll and Nico feels faint. “Of course I do. I knew even before Apollo graced me with the news, though I must admit, it would have been preferable to hear it from you, Nico.”

He might be sick. 

“And you’re not… mad?”

Hades meets his eyes steadily. “No.” He says finally. “I am not. Nor am I disappointed, upset or even disheartened. Honestly son, you could be attracted to empousa and still have much more, ahem, normal interests than many of my siblings and family. Poseidon for example once knew this horse-” He cuts off and shakes his head. “Not important. What I’m saying is, this? This is nothing I would ever be ashamed of. I am mad you chose not to talk to me about it, but I understand it’s something of a tricky subject for mortals, so I suppose even that I can understand.” His eyes softened fractionally, going from onyx stone to at least a somewhat malleable stone. “You’re my son, Nico. I haven’t always proven it in the best of ways, but I do care for you. All I ever want is you to be happy. If Will Solace or any other boy gives that to you then I have no reason to be upset.” 

Nico is definitely going to faint. 

“Thank you, Dad.” 

Hades grumbles, suddenly looking very uncomfortable. “You shouldn’t have to thank me for loving who you are, Nico.”

Nico opens his mouth and snaps it shut, not knowing what to say. 

Hades manages to break the tension by increasing it. “As for you, Will Solace, I hope you know to take care of and appreciate my son. Strictly honourable intentions and nothing else. If not…” The god grins evilly. “Well, I’m sure you can think of some horrendous punishments I can concoct for you. Ones that can last an eternity, I’ll remind you-”

“Dad!” Nico interrupts him, feeling Will shake beside him from the force he’s using to nod his head frantically. “I think he’s got it, thanks.”

Hades leans back on the chaise lounge. “As long as he’s aware.”

“He is,” Nico says, suddenly wanting this conversation to be over, even though he knows he’ll replay it in his mind at least ten times later. “Can we get back to finding Percy please?”

Hades’ expressions grows cool once more. “I am not allowed to get involved in mortal affairs, Nico, you know this.”

Nico finds that funny after just hearing Hades finish threatening his boyfriend to treat him right. “Just tell me whether he’s alive.” Nico pleads. “Please.”

“That is well within your own power to find.”

“I can’t.” He says shifting. He doesn’t want to disappoint his father, he doesn’t like failing in front of him. “Whatever has him has magic. We think it might be hiding Percy from us. Iris couldn’t even get through.”

“Hidden from Iris?” Hades sounds interested, despite himself and Nico feels a small flutter of victory. “My, my, whatever has him must be quite powerful. There’s likely a very strong possibility he could die or be dead already.” 

“Dad,” Nico says sharply, rebuking the tone of glee in his father’s voice.

“Ah, yes.” Hades grows somber once more. “And how saddening for us all that would be.”

Will muffles what suspiciously sounds like a laugh by bursting out in a fit of coughing and Hades almost smiles, looking pleased with himself. “Can you please just check?” Nico asks tiredly.

“Just because we had a more emotional moment gives you no reason to be impertinent and rude, Nico. What does Chiron teach you at that camp?”

Nico sighs and Will can’t stifle another laugh behind him.

“Please.” Nico says. “Percy’s my friend. One of my best friends. Annabeth is frantic. We just need to know-”

“Yes, yes.” Hades waves a hand, interrupting him. “He’s alive. There, are you happy?”

Nico breathes out in relief. “Thank you.”

Hades nods, but he’s frowning. “Nico, you’re not going along on the quest to release him, are you?”

Nico hesitates. “I don’t know. Why?”

“Don’t.” Hades says. “The one who has him… Best to stay far away, Nico. If you go the mission will fail and all of your friends will be lost. It could be the end of Olympus.”

Nico pales. “What are you talking about?”

“Don’t go to retrieve, Perseus.” Hades says, and he’s urgent. “The Fates can blame me for interfering all they like. Your friends might succeed without you. With you… they will undoubtedly fail.”

Nico swallows. “You’re sure?”

His father nods. “I am.”

He looks down at the floor, catching sight of Percy’s t-shirt lying feet away. When he looks around some more he sees jeans, a pair of sandals, a few candy wrappers. The walls glow blue and on the one beside Percy’s bunk there are roughly ten pictures stuck up. Nico looks and sees that he’s in a couple of them.

“I won’t go.” He says finally, wondering if he’s being a coward. “Can you tell me anything else? Where he is or who it is that has him?”

Hades shakes his head. “I’ve already said more than I should have. The Fates or Persephone will have my head, whichever gets to me first. All you have is what I’ve already told you.”

Nico nods and feels Will slip his hand into Nico’s, intertwining their fingers. “Thanks, Dad.”

“Be careful,” Hades says.

“Nice to meet you, sir.” Will pipes up and Hades nods. “Feel free to come down to the Underworld sometime, Will.” That sly grin is back on his face and Will gulps. 

“Goodbye, Dad.” Nico says. He’s tempted to say more, like I love you, or thank you for accepting me for who I am and not being a jerk about it, it’s more than I gave you credit for, but he can’t force the words out. It’s not that they aren’t true, it’s just that Nico has never really had that kind of relationship with his father. Even now he half thinks this whole conversation has been a dream.

“Get out of the Poseidon Cabin, Nico.” Hades says, sounding bored. He stands, probably to go and find Persephone. “My brother’s tastes just don’t suit you. I might even go so far as to say that they’re not your type.”

With that Hades is gone, Will is laughing so hard tears are falling from his eyes and Nico is standing there stunned. 

Gods, when they get out of here Will’s probably going to start saying the worst things, about fatherly love and familial support.

Nico pales. He might even start saying Hades has a sense of humour.

The Ghost King shudders, imagining what could happen if that rumour gets out.

oooOOOooo

When Percy comes to he’s unchained. He’s unchained and, what’s more, he’s laying down on something soft. When he turns his head he sees a burgundy pillow beneath him, one that’s suffered a little wear-and-tear but looks to be in pretty good condition.

He’s lying on a futon.

Percy laughs and lifts his hands to rub at his eyes, groaning from the pain that radiates from his torso at the action. When he pulls his hands away he realizes something.

His wrists are bandaged. When he breathes he feels tape on his ribs stretching with his skin. He tries to bend his legs and though his knees hurt when he does he feels a salve of some kind, warm and thick, rubbing against his jeans at the movement. Some kind of ointment. 

He turns his head to look around but doesn’t get the chance.

“Your ribs were cracked.” The giant’s voice sounds suddenly from beside him and Percy jumps and turns his had to find Aristaeus sitting across from him against the opposite wall of the cave. “You passed out. I think you’ve been unconscious for about an hour. Maybe two.”

Percy meets his eyes. “Why aren’t I chained?” He croaks.

The giant looks at him sadly. “You can’t escape, demigod, even now. I could stop you with a thought. Having you chained makes you too stationary, it means I can take out my anger on you without giving you a chance to defend yourself or get out of the way. It’s too convenient for me.”

He speaks quietly, every vowel and consonant falling from his tongue, sounding just as tired as Percy feels and Aristaeus looks.

Percy’s confused. He holds out a bandaged wrist. “Why?” Is all he asks.

Aristaeus sighs and his head thumps back against the cave wall. “I wasn’t always a monster.” He says, and his voice is loaded with a history Percy is too tired to be curious about. “I don’t like causing people pain.”

Percy breathes in deeply. He’s sick of having the same conversation. “Then why am I here?”

Green eyes meet his and revulsion works its way through Percy’s body in a shiver. “I want my family back.” Aristaeus says, and for a second he sounds as vulnerable as an innocent child. “I don’t want to be alone anymore. I need revenge and I need to crumble the demigods and Olympus. You help me do that.”

Percy grits his teeth. “You think killing me will weaken anyone?” He bites out, and he shakily pulls himself up to sit, moving so that he’s leaning back against the wall, legs spread out before him. “Like you said earlier, the gods see me as nothing but a pawn. Taking me away does nothing to them.”

The giant shakes his head. “You matter to them. It’s strange. Even the ones who hate you admire you and look to you for assistance when they need it. When Apollo was weakened and cast out to become mortal, you were the first demigod he sought for help. You have been a child of two Great Prophecies and involved in many other quests. You’ve defeated Titans, Giants and fought off my father. You survived the deepest hell of the Underworld and glimpsed it’s true form without going insane. Believe me, losing you would be a very crippling blow to the gods.”

“The gods don’t need me,” Percy insists, growing angry. “You’ve got it wrong.”

“And what of the other demigods?” Aristaeus counters. “Both demigod camps care for you. You lead one camp and the leaders of the other seek out you for counsel. I know of your connections to Frank Zhang and Reyna Avila Ramirez Arellano. I surveyed the disarray your wake left to the Greeks, and I saw how you came in and took charge of the Romans within a week. You lead people and thus far you’ve led Olympus and it’s demigods to victory too many times. The Triumvirate’s plans have been thwarted by you since the beginning, every plot you uncovered, every setback you caused all helped lead to their destruction. I am all that is left and I can’t allow you to defeat me, demigod. If I do, I lose everything. That’s it.” 

He sounds defeated already and Percy can’t help but watch and listen. He doesn’t agree with most of what Aristaeus has been saying. He was involved in everything, yes, but nothing Percy ever accomplished has been done alone. He’s always had Annabeth and Grover at his side. His mom has been there every step of the way, encouraging him. Chiron’s guided him, his friends have helped him, the gods have… well, they’ve been there. A few have even given him advice on the odd occassion. 

Percy would have been dead a thousand times over if he hadn’t had those people with him. He knows what kind of people his friends and family are. Taking him out of the equation does nothing, they would still be fighting and never give up. They would find a way to win without him. They’re strong and don’t depend on him nearly as much as this giant seems to think.

“They don’t need me to defeat you.” Percy says, and his tone is almost pitying. “Like you said, you’re alone. One giant against all of Olympus’ forces won’t win, Aristaeus.” 

The giant’s eyes sharpen at the use of his name. 

“Just because your family died doesn’t mean you have to be alone and spend your days trying to get revenge.” Percy continues. “I knew one of your brothers. Damasen. He was my friend.”

Aristaeus’ face darkens. “Speak no more, demigod.”

“He was peaceful,” Percy continues, ignoring the warning he sees in the giant’s expression. “But he knew what was right. He helped Annabeth and I escape Tartarus by fighting his father. Your father. He-”

“I know what he did!” Aristaeus yells, getting up faster than Percy could have anticipated and moved to crowd him, making Percy cower back against the cave wall. “We all knew! And all of us who thought to do the same were quickly beaten, tortured or killed by Porphyrion.” The giant’s hand came up to wrap around Percy’s neck, pressing it against the cool stone behind him and Percy gasped, staring up at the monster in front of him. Spit flew from Aristaeus’ mouth as he hissed, “none who wanted to sit out were allowed to live.” 

For the first time Percy spots scars puckering the giant. Vertical lines of raised, pale skin run from elbow to wrist on both arms, a slash across his throat, one running diagonally across his chest beginning to the left of his heart.

Percy looks up and meets the reptilian eyes again. “You were one of them.” He chokes out.

The giant releases him as quickly as he’d grabbed Percy, and Aristaeus moves backwards, stumbling slightly until he sits again in his original position. “I was. Not anymore.”

“They cut you.” Percy says after regaining his breath. 

The giant laughs. “They did worse than that, though the scars left by that brand of torture aren’t visible to you.” He raises his arms and looks at them curiously, as if seeing the scars for the first time. “But yes. They did.”

Percy frowns. “They tortured you for wanting to save your own life? Just because you disagreed with them?”

“Did your side not kill demigods who sided against you in the wars?” Aristaeus said. “You’ve never killed one of your own kind before, Perseus?”

Percy flinches. “That was different.”

“That’s what war is.” Aristaeus shoots back. “Damasen betrayed his family so he was no longer a part of that family. It’s no different than what demigods do.”

“It is-”

“Is Luke Castellan considered a hero at Camp Half-Blood?” Aristaeus wonders and Percy’s mouth snaps shut. “Or Silena Beauregard?”

Percy opens his mouth, fails to find any words wot say, and closes it again. “That’s-”

“It’s no different.” The giant says, anticipating his response. “They betrayed you. Perhaps you and a few others forgive their actions and see them as heroes, but the majority of your people do not. All they see is the loved ones they lost because two people stabbed them in the back.”

“That was Kronos.” Percy says. “Kronos caused all of that, and you would fight for him-”

“Kronos didn’t make those choices for them, Perseus.” Aristaeus’ eyes are glittering. “Luke made his choice. Was he manipulated by Kronos using Thalia’s death? Perhaps. But a choice is a choice. Was Silena manipulated by Luke? I would say so. But she continued to spy for him for years, waiting until the very last moment to make the right decision in your eyes. How many did she kill? How many did she hurt?”

“Stop.”

“They made those choices. Every day spent in Kronos’ service by Luke was a choice he made. Every piece of information Silena passed along was a choice. They made that choice day after day, for years. Are they still a part of your family, Percy? Are they worth the lives of people like Michael Yew?”

“Stop!” Percy shouts, fists clenched but too weak and tired to do anything more. “How do you- You don’t know a thing about it, you weren’t there-”

“Damasen is the Luke Castellan and Silena Beauregard of our family.” Aristaeus says calmly, meeting his eyes to make sure Percy hears every word. “Except he didn’t make the right choice in the end, like Luke and Silena did for you. In the end he still betrayed us and allowed the rest of them to die and for our mother to fail. So forgive me if I do not wish to follow in his footsteps.”

Percy looks away. “Sometimes family can be wrong.” He says, thinking of Calypso stuck for years on her island. Of Nico being ostracized by most of camp and Hades being pushed out of Olympus by the gods. Percy remembers Hestia, who opened her hearth to everybody and got only ignorance in return. She sits forgotten by the fire. “And that’s when you have to fight the hardest. To save not only the people in danger, but to save your family too. From themselves. The Titan War wasn’t just against Kronos. It was against Olympus and everything wrong with it. My family and I fought for the pieces of Olympus that deserved to survive. If you don’t think your family was doing the right thing by fighting, Aristaeus, if you wanted to stay out of the war and find a solution for everybody, you should have pledged yourself to that. You should have fought, but not for your siblings or Gaea. You should have fought for what you knew was right.”

Aristaeus scoffs. “What good would that have done?”

“Damasen was one giant, but he and my friend Bob, the Titan Iapetus, made sure Annabeth and I survived to defeat Gaea. Without him we would have died down there, and you’re right, maybe if we had then Olympus wouldn’t have won. But we did. Because of one giant and one Titan.” Percy’s gut twists at the memories of Bob and Damasen but he keeps speaking. “You can change things just as much as Damasen did. You can choose right now to be peaceful and end all of the fighting. Let me go.”

The giant hesitates and Percy feels hope rise in his chest. Maybe he will get out of here. Maybe, by some bizarre change of heart from The Fates, this giant wasn’t as evil as Percy thought.

“I won’t chain you up again.” Aristaeus says. “But I can’t let you go, Perseus. Excuse me, I have something to attend to.”

And Aristaeus walks right of the cave, leaving Percy sitting on a futon alone and unguarded.


	5. Chapter 5

“Don’t take Nico with you.” Rachel says when the purple curtain to her cave is pushed open. The painting sitting in front of her that she’s working on is made up of shades of gloomy dark colours, greens, greys and blues. It’s dark but Rachel still can’t make out what she wants to. She dips her brush in green paint and sticks her tongue out slightly between her lips as she leans forward and dabs at the canvas.

She doesn’t look up to see who it is, but she doesn’t have to. 

Annabeth halts in the entranceway. Rachel hears the sudden stop. “Why not? He could be useful.”

“He’ll die if he goes with you.” Rachel turns away from her painting to meet her old friend’s eyes. “And Percy will too. The rest of you will follow.”

Annabeth steps forward. “Did a prophecy tell you that?”

Rachel shakes her head, setting down her paints and brush. “A feeling.”

They watch each other for a few seconds before Annabeth sighs and nods. She looks so tired and Rachel’s heart fills with affection for the girl in front of her, and the boy they’re both missing. 

Simultaneously they both move forward and open their arms, catching each other in a hug. 

Rachel bears most of their weight but she doesn’t say anything.

“What happened?” She asks, voice a murmur in Annabeth’s curls.

Annabeth’s reply is a sigh through Rachel’s. “Something took him in the middle of the night.”

“From the clearing?” Rachel asks and Annabeth nods, not asking how Rachel knows. By now the older campers don’t have to ask, something Rachel’s grateful for. The constant doubt she’d faced from them when she’d first started out as the Oracle… sometimes only Percy defending her would make them listen. “You have no idea where it took him to?”

“None.”

“You didn’t see a cave there?”

Annabeth pulls away from her, eyes curious and questioning. “A cave?”

Rachel crosses her arms. “I had a dream about a cave and eyes of emeralds. And there was a monster of some kind.”

“Last night?” Annabeth asks her.

Rachel nods, leading Annabeth over to a couch to sit. “It woke me up at dawn.”

“It might have nothing to do with Percy.”

“Or everything,” Rachel counters swiftly, turning to her. “What do we know?”

“Nothing.” Annabeth sighs, head falling to be held in her hands, elbows braced on her knees. “I asked Nico to check whether he was alive and he couldn’t find him, Rachel.”

Real terror begins to grip the redhead. “He’s not-”

“He might be.” Annabeth says. “Nico couldn’t sense him anywhere. Not in the Underworld or above. He’s asking his father.”

“Gods,” Rachel breathes and Annabeth nods. 

“Iris couldn’t get a message through, whatever has him is manipulating both Chiron and Leo.” She quickly explains Leo and Chiron’s attitudes and what Mr. D had told her and Rachel sits back in surprise. “We have nothing.” Annabeth’s voice is frustrated. “I hate having nothing to go off of.”

“I know.” Rachel grips her hand. “But-”

She doubles over, gripping her stomach and coughing, catching a brief glimpse of green smoke creeping around her before her mind goes black.

When she comes to Annabeth is standing over her, face pale and eyes wide. “Rachel?”

“What was it?” She sits up from where she’d slumped against the couch. “What did I say?”

Annabeth breathes out before saying slowly. 

“Fire manipulated will lead the way,  
Only with the captured will one manage to stay,  
The final foe’s hand, which before tempered will,  
Ensure a loss through a devastating kill.”

Rachel breathes out before getting up. “I need to paint it.”

“Rachel-”

“Say it again.” Rachel interrupts, flipping to a fresh page and grabbing her brush. “Slowly. Line by line.”

“Fire manipulated will lead the way.” Annabeth says finally and Rachel dips her brush into red paint and copies the words out onto the sheet. 

“Fire,” she repeats. “Literal fire or figurative? Metaphorical?”

“I don’t know.” Annabeth repeats, sounding frustrated. “I doubt a trail of Greek Fire will lead us to Percy.”

“Metaphorical then.” Rachel hums, dipping her brush in water and starting to paint Leo’s face beside the word. “Will lead the way to Percy, I’m guessing.”

“I would say so,” Annabeth says sarcastically and Rachel shrugs.

“Okay, next line.” 

“Only with the captured will one manage to stay,” Annabeth says. “The captured is Percy, obviously.” 

Rachel points her brush at her with a soft glare. “Not obviously. What if there’s a whole cave-full of captured mortals, demigods or something else there? Maybe the captured is an object, an animal, or someone else. It might not be him.”

Annabeth rolls her eyes and crosses her arms. “But it probably is-”

“We don’t know for sure.” Rachel says firmly, turning back to the sheet. “The captured will manage to stay… where?”

“Not where, but what.” Annabeth replies. “The next line is, The final foe’s hand, which before tempered will.”

Rachel paints it. “The captured will stay the final foe’s hand. Stay as in stop. Stop the final foe’s hand. That’s good right?”

“Well yeah, but the last line goes, ensure a loss through a devastating kill.”

Rachel pauses her painting. “Oh.”

“Rachel,” the worry in Annabeth’s voice makes Rachel look over at her. “That means if we go on this quest one of us is going to die.”

Rachel swallows setting the brushes down. “We don’t know-”

“A devastating kill, Rachel. That has no other interpretation.”

Rachel looks down. “Who are you bringing?”

Annabeth looks at Rachel’s painting. “I thought I knew but now…”

Rachel sees as Annabeth gathers herself and straightens. “I’ll figure it out.”

The artist nods. She turns back to her painting and chews on the end of her brush before ripping off the sheet above it and laying her first painting on the ground, the one of the eyes and the monster in the cave.

Annabeth gasps as the paper settles on the cave floor. “That’s the monster from your dream?”

Rachel nods. “Yes, why-”

“I have to go, thanks for your help Rachel, I’ll Iris-message as soon as we get Percy back.” Annabeth hurriedly gives her a arm a squeeze and snatches up the painting before running out of the cave leaving Rachel to stand and stare after her, paint dripping from the end of her brush to the ground. 

She rolls her eyes, puts her paintbrush in a pot of water and runs out after the blonde daughter of Athena.

oooOOOooo

Percy tries to escape.

Correction; he falls asleep for who knows how long and wakes up a couple of hours later. Then he tries to escape.

Even if he had been at full health he knows he wouldn’t have been able to do it, looking back. It’s not because of a spell or the giant, he thinks maybe, if he hadn’t been injured, he could have gotten through that. 

No, what stops him is Aristaeus’ monster that turns out to be guarding the cave entrance. 

First he pulls himself up to stand, which takes more effort than he was expecting. Percy’s dealt with hurt ribs before, he knows to move carefully. What really gets him is his wrists. 

Gods, it’s like they burn whenever he puts even the slightest bit of pressure on them. 

He moans in pain when he tries to use his hands to move off of the futon, and then he glances towards the cave entrance nervously, waiting for the giant to come back and lose his temper. He sees the fire still flickering between himself and the entrance, though it’s dying down, but past it he sees nothing except the darkness of night and what might be faint hints of moonlight. 

He looks around as he slowly raises his hands to settle in his lap, instead using his legs to pull him to the futon edge. Apart from the futon- which, now that Percy looks at it, is huge. He doesn’t think it would be big enough for the giant though- the cave is pretty empty. There’s the fire, the futon and… 

He hears a faint hum and his eyes are drawn to a metal box. 

How the Hades does Aristaeus have a fridge in here? One that’s even running, from the sounds of it. 

Slowly Percy gets up and moves towards it. He doesn’t get his hopes up that there’s a ready-made sandwich or anything, but there’s always that possibility. He doesn’t like to discount his options. 

His sneakers are covered in dried blood and stick to his socks until he wiggles his feet inside of them. His jeans are in pretty much the same state, rubbing against his knees, which are no longer sticky as the ointment seems to be dry and rubbed in. The Camp shirt he’d been wearing is in tatters but still managing to hang from his frame. One shoulder is completely ripped and hanging, it brushes against his skin with every step. There’s a rip in the side where Aristaeus hit him, having caught on one of his claws- sorry, fingernails- and now a huge gaping hole let's Percy see the tape covering his injuries. Blood, sweat and other grime have soaked into the material and Percy decides this t-shirt’s reached the end of it’s life and it’s time for a replacement.

When he reaches the fridge (a mini fridge, which amuses him for some reason, given that Aristaeus is a giant) he opens it and immediately gags. 

There’s at least four containers of eggs, three bottles of syrup, two cartons of milk and four loaves of bread. What makes him gag is that the two bottom shelves are filled with unwrapped raw meat. Hacked up pieces of animal that drip blood onto the fridge’s bottom, dropping from the door onto the cave floor after Percy opened it. 

Gods, it stinks.

He quickly shuts it, thankfully quenching the stench a little, bending over to dry heave, eyes watering. 

Which reminds him. He’s thirsty again. 

He shakes his head slightly, taking a deep breath through his mouth, thankful he can’t taste it in the air. He shuffles away from the fridge but apart from the futon there’s nothing else back here that he can see and he moves forward, passing the fire, passing the dangling chains that are coated in flaking dried blood, to the entrance. 

He reaches the lip of the cave and presses himself to one side, one arm holding his ribs as he does, the other fingering Riptide which is in his pocket. With one glance up to the see faint traces of star and moonlight filtering through overhanging tree branches he pushes forward. The giant is nowhere in sight and apart from leaves brushing against one another in the wind he can’t hear anything. 

Percy takes one step forward. Another. 

He breaks out into a run, or as fast of a jog as he can in his condition. He almost makes it to the first line of trees before a growl reaches his ears and before he knows what’s happening he’s been hit by something and bowls over from the weight of whatever it was that knocked him down.

His head hits the ground hard, knocking against a few stray stones, and he gasps at the pain from the fall’s impact on his ribs and wrists. His knees throb and he loses his breath, unable to get air to his lungs because the pressure on them is so heavy.

When his eyes finally manage to flutter open there’s black spots in his vision. He feels something hit his left cheek and slide down it- something warm and wet. The smell of burnt meat reaches his nostrils and Percy gags again before choking because he still can’t take in a breath.

He feels more pain from his ribs and a suffocating pressure on them. He hears another crunch and realizes at least one rib from his other side is hurt now. 

Sharp points dig into his skin and he cries out, finally getting his eyes to focus. 

He screams when he sees what’s above him. Absolute terror takes him over and he tries to scramble, making the sharp points dig into his chest deeper, as flashbacks to his first quest overcome him. He remembers when he was just 12 years old, avoiding flames and getting pricked by a poisonous tail, jumping off of the Gateway Arch and into a river because escaping was the only way he was able to survive the monster. 

The Chimera’s mouth is open above him in a growl and Percy feels the heat from it, making him sweat. He wonders what being cooked to death feels like. 

Painful, Annabeth’s voice hisses. Let’s avoid that, shall we?

Percy would laugh at that usually, or at least crack a grin, but he’s a little preoccupied at the moment. 

With the monster pressing one paw across his chest to hold him to the ground and drool from it’s mouth falling on his face, Percy suspects he’s about to find out what being a burnt demigod feels like. 

This monster definitely remembers him, he thinks, seeing the malicious victory in the Chimera’s eyes. 

He closes his eyes. Mom I love you, he sends his thoughts out to whoever might be listening. Dad, I’m glad you didn’t end up being Zeus or Hades. You did your best. Annabeth-

“No, Precious, bad!” Aristaeus’ voice calls out from beside them and Percy breathes out from relief, eyes opening at the feeling of the paw’s weight lifting and the talons removing themselves from his skin. The lion’s face backs out from his line of sight and Percy gulps air in greedily, ignoring the pain and whimpers that are coming from him. 

“Sit, Precious, and play with your new toy. Your toy, Precious, not the demigod! Good, Precious, good.”

Percy turns his head and watches as Aristaeus throws what looks like a human body into the Chimera’s open and waiting mouth. He blinks away the fog crowding his mind and sees the limpness of the body, the clothes hanging from it in shreds and the blood following it’s movement like a trail and realizes; it is a human body. 

He glances from Aristaeus and for a second it looks like the giant is glowing. When Percy blinks he realizes there’s lines drawn on the ground that are emitting a golden light, like from a movie with demon rituals or something.

The demigod blinks again and then there’s no light at all, just the giant standing in the dark and the Chimera a few feet away, holding a person in it’s mouth.

A dead person. 

The woman must be in her thirties, and despite the fact that she has shockingly red hair, somehow she reminds Percy of his mom. His very pregnant mother who should be having her baby any day now.

And Percy isn’t with her.

Rage fills him so suddenly he’s overwhelmed. Pure, unadulterated rage, and Percy managed to ignore the pain and forget the giant long enough to get up because of the emotion. It consumes him and he reaches into his pocket and feels Riptide there, pulling the sword out and uncapping it. 

The appearance of celestial bronze makes the Chimera growl and its snake-headed tail flicks back and forth over it’s head, side to side, a constant stream of hissing coming from it. Aristaeus shifts and looks from the Chimera to Percy, a frown on his face. 

“Impossible.” He says, sounding surprised more than angry. “I searched you for weapons.”

“Your magic didn’t show you I had this? After stalking me for so long you don’t know about my sword?” Percy taunts, gaze shifting from the Chimera to the giant. He remembers Aristaeus’ knowledge of Silena, of Michael, and he somehow gets angrier. “Care to come and get a closer look?”

Something almost like hurt fills Aristaeus’ eyes. “You wish to try and hurt me?”

“No.” Percy pulls himself up as tall as he can. “I’m going to kill you. And your pet.”

Aristaeus sighs and Percy shifts the sword pommel in his hands, getting a better grip. 

“Very well,” the giant says, and Percy might actually be going insane now because he thinks he hears regret in the giant’s voice. “Precious, put down your toy. Kill the demigod.”

The Chimera drops the mortal and turns it’s eyes to Percy, tail moving faster than Percy can see. His reflexes save him and he jumps out of the way, the pain dulled by his adrenaline. He barely blinks before swinging Riptide, hearing the sword slice through something thick, meeting resistance. He tries to pull Riptide out but it’s stuck and he yanks before the tail is pulled back and Percy’s flying through the air, feeling jaws snap shut in the air beside him as he does. 

He had been that close to being Chimera Chow. Inches away from being snapped up in midair.

Percy slams into the ground, his body screaming, but scrambles up right after. Riptide is miraculously still in his hands after having come loose from the momentum and he looks up to see the Chimera in front of him, yowling, swinging it’s tail around crazily as the snake’s hissing weakens and weakens. Percy catches sight of a deep gash in the snake’s neck and watches as the tail slowly goes limp.

A roar from the monster follows and Percy hears Aristaeus gasping on the sidelines and then clapping as the Chimera stalks towards Percy. 

“You want me to fight?” Percy yells at the monster. “I owe you a death, don’t I? Come on then!” 

That helpless feeling is coming back to him. The anger with no obvious cause sweeping through his body. He wasn’t able to beat this monster five years ago and he’s not sure he’ll be able to do it now, but gods, he’s not just going to stop. He doesn’t have a choice. He’s getting out of here, one way or another, and if this is the monster that’s killing mortals, at least Percy will have done something good in this mess of a situation. At least he didn’t just roll over and die without a fight.

Percy feels the air change just in time to roll forward and avoid getting barbequed by the fire streaming from the lion’s mouth. 

The roll brings him right up to the Chimera, only feet away, and Percy surges forward, Riptide lifted high and aiming directly for the Chimera’s eyes.

“Enough!” Aristaeus yells and Percy’s suddenly frozen, his blade inches away from the monster. The Chimera growls and retreats, doing nothing to attack Percy further.

“No more.” The giant says and Percy feels his limbs fall and the giant’s hold on him disappears. “Precious, go.” 

The Chimera slinks off into the woods and Percy watches it go before turning around to the giant. Just in time too, because the giant grabs him.

Percy’s strength drains away like he’s just stepped out of water and he notices a green glow that surrounded him fade away.

He’s seen something like that once before, when Clarisse killed the drakon during the Battle of Manhattan. When she had the Blessing of Ares. But she’d been bathed in red light, not green.

Percy cries out and feels his ribs scream in protest at the strength in the grip around him, but Aristaeus doesn’t stop. Percy’s forced to let go of Riptide or probably end up stabbing himself with his own sword, and he does so just in time. Then he’s being lifted from the ground and brought face to face with Aristaeus, looking into one of his awful, reptilian eyes and trying not to shudder at the horrid smell. Like rotting snakes.

“You would have killed him.” The giant growls. 

Crazily Percy remembers Echidna calling the Chimera ‘Sonny.’ He remembers how later when he’d told Annabeth the story she’d laughed and said that Chimera means she-goat, and that the monster was actually a girl.

They’d laughed, both of them tired from their quest and sitting in the back of the animal transport truck, Grover asleep beside them. The first time Percy had really talked to Annabeth without one of them stomping off annoyed was in the back of that truck. 

He missed the good old days like that. When Echidna getting the gender of the Chimera wrong was funny and when sometimes his biggest problem was figuring out why Annabeth could go from laughing with him one second to ignoring him the next.

Crushes were weird.

He’s brought back to the present by Aristaeus’ grip tightening.

“It’s not a him,” Percy wheezes out and then he starts to laugh. 

He’s still laughing when Aristaeus squeezes harder and, for the umpteenth time since he woke up here, Percy passes out.


	6. Chapter 6

Jason’s Iris-messaging Reyna and Frank when Annabeth runs over. 

After she’d explained what Mr. D had told her in the Big House, Piper and Leo had gone off to pack. Annabeth had grabbed Jason’s arm to stop him from following.

Grover glanced at them, chewing his lip. “Annabeth, what should I do?”

Jason shifted uncomfortably seeing the look Annabeth exchanged with him. He knew Grover had been around Camp for a long time, and that he’d been the one to bring Annabeth here, but the look they shared was so full of years of companionship he felt like he was intruding. 

“You’re a Lord of the Wild,” Annabeth said softly. “I can’t risk you coming and then getting hurt. The nature spirits have been hit hard by the past two wars, they need you here.”

Grover’s eyes flashed, and it surprised Jason to see the defiance in his eyes, though it faded quickly to be replaced by hurt. “I would go anywhere for you and Percy.” Grover said quietly, looking down. “You know that.”

“And you know Percy would kill me if anything happened to you.” Annabeth said fiercely. “We can handle this Grover, I mean it. I need you here, you’ll be better help trying to reopen the empathy link and asking around with the nature spirits, seeing if any were nearby and saw something. We still don’t know anything about the monster there, maybe satyrs in the area have noticed something.” She smiled at him tremulously. “You just got back from a quest in the Labyrinth and a war with the Triumvirate. You deserve a rest.”

He sniffed. “I can’t rest when both of you are out there.”

She let go of Jason to grip the satyr’s hand. “You can. Last time we were gone you held down the fort. We need you to do that again. Rachel will need help, and so will the other campers. Nobody knows Percy’s missing again and if he doesn’t come back… if they find out he’s gone again I don’t know what will happen. You have to be here.”

Grover nodded after meeting her eyes. “Yeah. Okay.”

Her eyes softened as she looked at him and Jason shifted uncomfortably again. “Juniper would hate for me to take you away so soon after you got back.”

Grover nodded, lip wobbling a bit before he took a breath and straightened up. “I’ll keep things going here. Watching Chiron, talking to Mr. D, helping Rachel and the others. But if you need anything-”

“I know, Grover.” She smiled at him. “If I need any reed pipe magic you’re the first satyr I Iris-message.”

“Be careful.” Grover told them, looking at Jason finally. “And bring Percy back.”

“We will. You too.” Annabeth said.

Grover started to move away but then stopped, hesitating. “Annabeth… what about Sally?”

Jason felt his stomach clench. Sally Jackson, Percy’s mom. He’d only seen her briefly once when she’d come and picked Percy up from Camp last summer. He hadn’t been there to witness the reunion on the Hill like most of the others had, but he’d come in time to say goodbye to Percy and notice Sally waiting at the car.

He knew she was pregnant though, and he’d heard how emotional she’d been the first time Percy was gone. Piper had met her on the Hill and said she was great, and that they’d both been invited to stop in sometime and have dinner there. They hadn’t had the chance yet, what with going to school in L.A and living with Tristan McLean, but Jason knew Piper wanted to. 

Part of him wasn’t so sure he did though. Jason wasn’t good with mothers, and Percy was the only demigod out of their little group that actually had one still alive. A good one, too. Jason couldn’t remember ever having that and the thought of seeing it… of intruding like that and realizing everything he and Thalia had never had… he didn’t know if he could do that.

Annabeth paled and cursed, snapping Jason out of his thoughts. “Sally. I completely forgot…”

Grover nodded as if he’d expected the answer. “I’ll take care of it.”

Annabeth bit her lip and looked torn. “Are you sure? I should-”

“I’ll visit her.” Grover said. “You need to get going.”

Annabeth looked down. “I know we should tell her but… after last time, I don’t want to.”

“I think she’d want to know.” Jason breaks in, unable to hold his tongue. “From what I’ve heard about her, and everything Percy’s said, she sounds strong. She should know what’s going on with her son.”

Annabeth leans her head back, looking up at the sky. The next thing she says, Jason doesn’t know whether it’s directed at him and Grover or the gods up on Olympus. “It’s his last summer here at Camp.” She says quietly. “We’re going to New Rome soon and he can’t even have two months of peace-”

She breaks off and shakes her head, looking at Grover. “You’ll be alright?”

He nods and wraps her in a hug. “Be careful.”

Jason sees her squeeze and looks away over the strawberry fields. The Demeter Cabin are trickling over towards them so they can tend to the plants and Jason thinks it’s about time they get going.

“Guys, sorry to interrupt but-”

They pull away from each other quickly and Annabeth wipes her eyes. Jason and Grover both look away and pretend they don’t see. “Right. Jason, come with me. I need you to do something before you pack.”

And that’s how he ends up sitting on the step in front of the Zeus Cabin, a hose trailing from the bathrooms to spray up into the summer air and make a rainbow.

Reyna notices first. “Jason!” 

She’s sitting at her desk in the Praetor quarters. Her hair is in its usual braid, the bowl on her desk is full to the brim with jellybeans and she’s wearing a tank top instead of a toga. He sees her Praetor cape laying on the desk beside her hand and he hears a chair scrape back out of his view and steps coming closer before Frank appears in the picture too, looking worried. “What’s wrong?”

It strikes Jason that that’s the first question Frank asks him. It’s not because the two aren’t close- going on a quest to save the world bonds you, whether you want it to or not- but because of who they are and what kind of life they lead. When Jason and Frank talk to one another, nine times out of ten it’s probably because there’s some problem to be solved.

“Percy’s been taken.” 

Reyna doesn’t react as Frank’s eyes widen. The Praetor slips from where he’s leaning against the desk and straightens up, blushing, folding his arms across his red t-shirt. Despite growing into his muscles and height Frank still reminds Jason of a stuffed teddy bear.

The worry in both of their eyes when they look back up is obvious. “What- how-” 

Reyna cuts Frank off, Jason sees her placing a hand on his wrist briefly. “Explain.” She says calmly, but the undertone of concern makes her voice a little shaky.

Jason does, telling them everything that’s happened in the last two days, and about Apollo’s warning and the dream Jason had earlier.

Frank’s straightened up by the time Jason’s stopped talking and Reyna is leaning back in her chair. 

“I’m going to meet you in Iowa.” Frank says. “Hazel and I-”

Reyna coughs. “Frank?”

Frank turns and Jason watches as they lean towards each other whispering. He sees Frank’s face grow determined, watches as Reyna sighs and gestures, whispering furiously until finally Frank nods and Reyna turns to Jason.

Jason raises an eyebrow. How Frank managed to win an argument with Reyna, he would never know. It was a skill he had never possessed. He’d have to ask the guy for pointers.

“Frank and Hazel will be ready to leave and come help you all tonight. Do you require anyone else?”

Jason shakes his head. “I don’t think so I just- Annabeth wanted you guys to know in case something comes for one of you.”

Reyna’s eyes soften. “More of us would help if we could. You know I would too. But we’re still recovering from the Triumvirate’s attack here, Jason, and Frank and I can’t spare more than that.”

Frank nods beside her, looking determined. “Hazel and I will be there as soon as we can.”

“Thank you.” Jason says gratefully. “I’m sure that will really help.”

“Jason.” Frank steps away from the desk. “Was Percy- you said he was fine when he was taken?”

Jason nods and sees relief in Frank’s eyes. “He’ll be fine,” Frank says, and Jason isn’t sure if he’s still talking to him or not. He meets Reyna’s eyes and she bites her lip before her face clears. 

“He will be.” She says, sounding confident and sure. 

It’s then that Annabeth runs up to him, calling out as she does. “Jason, I know what the monster is!”

She’s run quite a ways, he can see it in the escaped strands of hair and flush of her cheeks. She’s holding a large piece of paper in her hand, all crumpled up, and he watches as she unfolds it. 

She jabs a finger at the painting and he recognizes their Oracle’s brushwork. “See it? Rachel had a dream too, this is what we’re up against.”

He looks at it, recognizing the tail from his dream, the outline of the head. “That looks like…”

“The Chimera.” Annabeth nods. “Percy fought it years ago. Is this what you saw in your dream?”

He nods and Annabeth smiles widely. “This is what we’re up against.” 

“Annabeth?” Frank asks and she turns to the Iris-message surprised before holding up the painting. 

“Rachel painted this from a dream.” Annabeth said. “It’s the Chimera. This is what’s been taking people and killing them.”

The two of them are quiet for a minute as they take in the painting.

“Annabeth.” Reyna’s voice is still worried when she speaks again. “From what I know of it, that monster can’t wield magic and Jason said your enemy does.”

“It does, Leo and Chiron are being manipulated.” Jason breaks in and Annabeth’s arm holding the painting slowly falls to her side.

“That may be the monster killing everyone but it is not the monster who organized all of this.” Reyna says. “They may be working independently of one another.”

Jason sits back, hope crumbling and he looks from the stricken look on Annabeth’s face to his hands. 

He and Percy may have had tension in the past, sometimes they argued and clashed, but Jason genuinely liked the guy. When they’d worked together to raise that hurricane he’d felt a companionship he’d never known before. Here was someone who wasn’t afraid of him because he was Jupiter’s son. This guy didn’t back down just because Jason had been Praetor, he spoke his mind, was honest, and Jason appreciated that. He wasn’t in awe of Jason’s power, he wasn’t so intimidated that he stuttered around him (it had happened, sadly) and he treated Jason like a regular guy. So many people had tiptoed around him his entire life, Percy was like a breath of fresh air. Having someone he could train against without holding back? Jason needed that. 

The son of Poseidon wasn’t as organized as Jason, that was true. He didn’t follow rules or always consider everything before acting. Jason was impulsive because of his ADHD but his Roman training had tamed that in him, something that would never change. 

All of the Greeks were impulsive and more about passion than logic, but Jason loved them for that. Percy was even more fidgety than Leo, but he also fought harder than anybody Jason had ever seen. He was pretty much the embodiment of a Greek demigod fighter around here.

And the guy was funny. Funny and smart and kind, once he let you in.

There was a tension between them though. One that Jason was sure came from who their father’s were, and the question of power and strength that had always been in the back of Jason’s mind when he looked at Percy. The question of who out of the two of them would have won the eidolon fight. Of who would win a fight between them if one started right now and it wasn’t just to train and hone their skills. If they genuinely fought to win, who would be victorious? 

(Jason had heard stories of Thalia and Percy fighting at Camp when Annabeth was kidnapped. One in particular when Percy was actually shocked by lightning and then managed to survive, stand back up and throw an entire wave at Jason’s sister. Chiron had ended it before the fight could escalate but Jason had always wondered who might have won if the fight had been allowed to go on.)

He’d felt that last wall of questions between them since the end of the Giant War, and while Jason had been trying to work to bring it down, he’d never been completely sure that Percy had wanted him to succeed. 

But Jason would be damned if he didn’t give them both the chance for him to accomplish his goal and instead just let Percy stay lost without trying. 

He’d lost track of the conversation but was jolted back to his surroundings when Nico, Will and Rachel all appeared, with the couple following a few steps behind Rachel. 

“He’s alive!” Nico called, steadying Will when he stumbled at the sudden stop. 

Rachel appeared out of nowhere and marched up to Annabeth, snatching the painting from her hands. “Care to explain?” She demanded the blonde girl, completely ignoring the boys for a moment.

“The Chimera, Rachel!” Annabeth said before turning to Nico.

Rachel’s eyes widened and she looked down at the picture. “Oh.”

“He’s alive?” Annabeth asked, moving towards the son of Hades and his boyfriend. Jason walked over too. 

Will nodded. “Nico’s dad said so.”

Jason heard all of them breathe out in relief. “Then we have to leave. Soon. Before anything happens that could change that.”

Frank coughed. “Tact, Jason.”

Jason blushed and turned to Annabeth. “I didn’t mean-”

“No, you’re right.” She held up a hand, but the joy was gone from her face. “We have to go. You’re coming to help, Frank?”

Frank nodded. “Hazel and I will be there tonight.”

Annabeth nodded. “Then I’ll go pack. Thanks for asking your dad, Nico.” She gave his shoulder a quick squeeze, nodding to Reyna, Frank, Will and Jason quickly.

She left, Rachel following after her and shooting them all a glance. The redhead whispered something in Nico’s ear. Something that made the son of Hades pale even further than he already was, making him look tired and like he might be sick. 

“We’ll be going as well.” Reyna said, shuffling papers. “Unless there was anything else, Jason?”

He shook his head. “Thanks, guys.”

The message faded and he turned to look at Nico and Will. “What did Rachel tell you?” 

Nico shrugged and looked around. “Nothing I didn’t already know.” 

Jason waited but it became clear Nico wasn’t going to share anymore. “Okay, well, I should pack. Are you two coming?”

The shook their heads. “Nico has to stay,” Will said. “And so do I.”

Jason nodded, tempted to ask but figuring he wouldn’t get an answer if he did. “Okay then.”

Nico shuffled his feet. “Be careful?” He looked up at Jason fiercely. “Too many weird things are happening lately.”

Jason smiled as he stood up. “Of course. You too, Nico. And you, Will.”

“Sure thing, Jason.” Will replies, stepping backwards. “See you when you get back.” 

Will leaves but Nico hesitates. “I mean it.” Nico says. “Be careful. Something’s going to happen.”

Jason meets his eyes. “I will, Nico, and I mean it too. I’ll see you when I get back.”

The son of Hades hesitates, looks like he’s going to say more but then closes his mouth and shakes his head, leaving without another word. 

When Piper comes into the cabin later, Jason is still packing, trying to figure out what Nico had meant.

oooOOOooo

Percy wakes up on the futon again.

He’s surprised actually, that he’s not in chains, but he’s sure not going to say anything about it this time. He doesn’t think Aristaeus would really respond to his impertinence as well as he had the last time Percy had questioned the leeway.

Since last time all he’d done was crowd Percy to a wall, yell in his face and wrap a hand around his throat. You know. Little things like that. 

Percy harbours no illusions that the giant wouldn’t do worse if pushed too far.

He doesn’t open his eyes. For a few minutes, even if it makes him restless not knowing if the giant is nearby, he just lays there and breathes. He has to think of a way out of here because he can’t keep doing this. He can’t keep waking up, trying to get free and then getting hurt again. His strength is practically nonexistent at this point, his stomach hurts like an earth giant just hurtled a rock at it. He doesn’t know if he’s hungry or just in pain, and right now he’s too tired to think about it further and make the distinction. His mouth is dry though. He’s definitely thirsty. 

He swallows as he turns his mind to bigger problems.

What has he accomplished? What does he know?

So far he’s done exactly what he always does. Played things by ear, acting rash and jumping on opportunities without thinking things through. It hasn’t done him any good so far and he doubts it will in the future either. 

What can he do to fix it?

Even strength has to bow to wisdom sometimes, Annabeth says in his mind and the corner of Percy’s mouth actually twitches up in a smile because her voice is so present in his mind, he can almost imagine she’s there with him.

What do I do? He wants to ask her. What would you do?

His eyes fly open. 

What would Annabeth do? 

She’d use logic, of course. Think everything out while calculating every possibility and outcome. Annabeth would have plan A and B and C all the way through G at least. 

Annabeth would use her surroundings. She’d get to know her enemy and learn Aristaeus’ weaknesses and then, when the opportunity best presented itself, she would use that and get out of here. 

And she would have been able to get out of here, Percy’s sure of it. Annabeth’s always been good at talking her way out of situations, and given how chatty Aristaeus is, he doubts she wouldn’t have been able to convince the giant to let her leave. 

Percy comes to a decision then. He’ll do what he thinks Annabeth would. If that means talking to the giant and waiting, then he’ll just have to suffer through. 

He takes in the cave roof, noticing huge cracks running lengthwise along it. Maybe that’s why he always feel so cold in here, the fire barely managing to reach him where he’s laying down. Percy hasn’t felt warm since waking up shackled to the wall and he wonders if that’s another mind trick, his damaged immune system or something else. Maybe there’s a Greek God of cold air that really has it out for him.

Honestly he wouldn’t be surprised at this point.

When he looks around some more everything seems the same as earlier. The fridge hums away against the back of the cave, nothing but craggy, grey stone behind it. The walls, in contrast, are smooth and parts of them shine from moisture. The rest is a dusty colour, plain and encompassing. 

He glances at the small fridge again. He wonders if the meat is still in there or whether it had just been for the Chimera. Did Aristaeus eat any of that? 

Percy’s stomach roils. Aristaeus had already made Percy French Toast. The ingredients of which obviously came from the fridge. 

He takes a deep breath and thinks of something else. Imagining the meat sitting beside the eggs and bread, rotting away and bleeding all over it makes Percy want to vomit. 

Piper might be onto something with this vegetarian thing, honestly. He prefers his cheeseburgers already cooked, not raw and dripping straight from the cow. Seeing meat so unprocessed and hacked makes him uncomfortable.

He hears footfalls, heavy stomping that comes from the cave’s entrance and Percy slowly raises himself up. He notices his ribs have been retaped and when he feels he notes the bandages on both sides. Wincing he prods the bandaging through his shirt and thinks one of his wounded ribs from before might be broken, a couple of others are definitely cracked or fractured and he doesn’t even want to consider the bruising. 

His butt hurts too, when he shifts against the lumpy mattress of the futon he feels his tail bone sting. 

When he moves to sit against the wall once more he notices his head is bandaged, and for a second he wonders why before remembering slamming against the ground multiple times, his head hitting rocks and jarring his spine. 

He wonders if he has a concussion but he’s not in the state of mind to be able to tell. 

One thing is for sure. Iowa is most definitely not going to be his next vacation hotspot. 

Aristaeus slowly walks into view, watching Percy intently as the demigod watches him back. 

“You’re awake.”

Percy tries for a smile. “Finally.”

The giant nods, looking troubled even as he watches Percy. “You almost killed my pet.”

Percy’s mind races, trying to think of something to say that won’t anger the being in front of him. He settles on hanging his head, hiding his facial expression, which hopefully won’t encourage Aristaeus to strike him. (A lot of monsters seem to hate the mere sight of his face, he’s learned the hard way.) 

“It was the Chimera or me.” He says finally. “I did what I had to so I would stay alive.”

There’s a few moments of silence before the giant releases a deep breath. Percy feels the gust of it from where he’s sitting and it makes his nose wrinkle but otherwise he does nothing but look up. 

“Things escalated rather quicker than I estimated.” Aristaeus looked troubled. “To be perfectly honest with you, I never would have thought you would win that fight, Perseus. Especially in your condition.”

Percy’s hand reaches back to touch his taped ribs. “Honestly,” he says with a small, forced grin, “neither did I.”

The giant’s lips twitch before he grows somber once more. “You place me in a difficult position once again. You almost killed the monster that is my ally and protection.” Percy stores that tidbit away for later. “You have a weapon on you that I cannot remove. Any other adversary would have killed you by now.”

Percy’s hand shoots to Riptide, still in his pocket. Riptide returned to his pocket through some kind of magic. Magic that apparently Aristaeus wasn’t strong enough to break. At least Percy knew the giant had limits in some areas. “But you haven’t.”

“No,” the giant muses. “Because I again would like you to consider my offer.” Aristaeus leans forward, blinking, and his reptilian eyes bore into Percy’s. “Join me. Join our cause against the Olympians. You are formidable, none could deny it. I will not be stupid and try to do so. You have a talent for survival I have rarely seen before. I would ask you to join me. Aid me and I will reward you. Your injuries will heal, your loved ones and their loved ones will be spared. The gods haven’t given or sent you aid since I have taken you. What does that say of their affection towards yourself? Zeus has done nothing. Your father has done nothing. After all you’ve given for them, they sit back and cut their losses, never regretting turning a blind eye. Why would you save them?”

Percy hesitates. “I already told you. The gods may be bad, but the Titans- Kronos, Tartarus and Gaea- they’re worse.”

Aristaeus shakes his head immediately. “Don’t you see? He will owe his rise to you. To me. To the both of us. His debt to us will give us so much power over him we can stop my brother from repeating past mistakes, or any others we see he will make. Nothing will happen without our approval, and between the large group of us that I intend to put in charge, I know we will rule wisely and justly.”

Percy’s jaw worked. He didn’t see how the giant’s goal was realistic. “Kronos is scattered. I know it, I was there when it happened. It would take centuries for him to regain strength, if it were even possible.”

Aristaeus bows his head in acknowledgement. “There are ways to speed the process. If all goes to plan we would have Kronos reclaim his throne within the year.”

Percy’s blood runs cold, shock making his mind go blank. He remembers the faces of everyone who died in the Battle of Manhattan. The decimation of Olympus, the defeat in his friend’s shoulders towards the end. 

He remembers Beckendorf sacrificing himself, Silena leading the Ares campers into battle, Michael Yew shouting at him to collapse the bridge. 

Percy pictures Luke, sacrificing himself after giving so much of himself to Kronos’ side. The sadness on his face, the plea he begged to Percy, to make the world better. To stop anyone from ever thinking someone like Kronos could possibly be the good guy.

He remembers how helpless he’d felt the entire time, trying to save everyone when it just wasn’t possible. How tired the Achilles Curse made him, the way Thalia and the Hunters had to scrounge for leftover arrows and others campers ran out of defenses and had finally made a last, victorious stand at the doors of the Empire State Building. 

Percy remembers the pain, and the loss. 

He remembers Annabeth nearly dying from a poisoned knife wound. 

Those are the things he thinks of when he hears Kronos’ name. Those memories and feelings are what Kronos brings with him and Percy never wants anything like that to happen again. He doesn’t want to hear that it’s possible for Kronos to rule the world and tear down the gods within a year. So soon after all the sacrifices it took to stop him rising less than two years ago.

His voice is a whisper when he speaks. “How?”

The giant’s mouth opens before he snaps it shut. “I would not share secrets with my enemy. Even I do not fall so far into the realm of foolishness.”

Percy closes his eyes, makes his decision. “And what if I wasn’t your enemy?”

Aristaeus’ eyes snap to him and never waver from his face, his scrutiny making Percy’s skin prickle. He doesn’t back down though. His life could depend on these few moments. 

“Well that,” Aristaeus says finally, victory layering his voice. “That would be a different situation entirely.”


	7. Chapter 7

When Hazel and Frank arrive at the clearing Leo had sent them directions to they immediately know the quartet hasn’t found Percy yet.

It’s obvious in the frown around Leo’s mouth and the restlessness in Jason’s eyes. Frank can see it in the way that Piper keeps glancing at Annabeth. He even notices Festus cocking his head to the side at every sound, alert and waiting for a sign that a certain son of the sea god is nearby. 

Mostly he knows they haven’t found Percy because Annabeth is sitting on a rough looking log, one that’s been dragged over to be placed near the circle of ash that had once been a fire. She’s alone and the slight hunch of her shoulders speaks volumes as she frustratedly writes something and crosses it out. 

Frank gets it. Dyslexia has always bothered him too.

Hazel jumps off of Arion and Frank transforms back from an eagle to stand beside her. Jason notices them first and the grin that overcomes his face is so wide and bright Frank can’t help but feel a little better even though worry for Percy churns relentlessly in his gut. 

(To be honest, even though he’s Praetor now, he still feels like he has no idea what he’s doing more than half of the time. Having Reyna there helps, because she’s experienced and well; she’s Reyna. Hazel tells him he’s silly, that he’s saved the world and is more than fit to be in charge but Frank thinks of a part of him will always have doubts. It’s why he’s so comforted around the other six demigods of their Prophecy. All of them have undeniable skill and would terrify any monster. No one could try and fight them and win. He’s happy to let Annabeth and Jason take charge and just focus on finding his friend.)

Hazel accepts Jason’s quick hug and laughs at Piper when the girl runs over to squeeze her tight. Frank’s chest warms at the sight before he looks at Jason who’s stopped in front of him.

They watch each other for a couple of seconds before breaking out into identical grins and slapping each other a couple of times on the back. 

“Glad you’re here,” Jason mutters in his ear. “Annabeth’s starting to get desperate.”

The worry comes back in a rush as the son of Jupiter pulls away and Piper takes his place, hugging Frank. “We’ve missed you!” She exclaims and Frank smiles a little forcedly. 

“If you all hadn’t decided to stay camped out with the Greeks-”

“Watch it, buddy.” Piper laughs as she pulls away. “I am Greek. Besides we’re usually at school anyway.”

Frank mimes nonchalance. “Yeah, it’s not like there’s a high school in New Rome you could have gone to or anything. But it’s fine, don’t worry about it.”

Piper just winks at him. “One more year bud, then we’re following Percy and Annabeth. I’m sure you’ll have your hands full with them, the months will just fly by.”

Frank glances past where Leo and Hazel are deep in conversation to where Annabeth hasn’t even looked up from her notebook, chewing on the end of a pencil with narrowed eyes. “I’ve noticed they seem to keep getting into trouble.”

Piper rolls her eyes. “The life of a demigod my friend.” She replied before turning around and cupping her mouth. “Hey, Annabeth!” 

The blonde looks up as her name is called and her eyes widen at the sight of the two new arrivals. Frank smiles at her shyly as Hazel waves. 

“I didn’t even- it’s good to see you guys!” Annabeth says, setting her books aside and coming over to stand in front of them arms crossed tightly, as if she’s holding herself together. She hesitates a second before they fall open to hug first Hazel and then Frank. “How was the trip?”

Hazel smiles at her. “Frank was pretty safe in the air and Arion goes too fast for monster’s to follow. It was good.”

They all glance to the horse who’s moved closer to Festus and has his head to the ground, chewing grass. His eyes never leave the bronze automaton and Frank bites back a grin when he notices the intense stare down the two are locked in.

Hazel and Leo just look at each other, both of their expressions saying, ‘watch your animal.’ 

Annabeth clears her throat. “It was good of you guys to come.”

Frank sees Hazel reach out and take Annabeth’s hand. “Anything for Percy.” She says seriously, and Frank nods beside her. “Tell us what happened?”

They do, all four of them jumping in around one another to lay out the full story once more. Frank’s stomach churns again as he hears about Leo’s strange actions and he notices the son of Hephaestus look down at the ground during the retelling, shifting and fidgeting with his toolbelt as the words fall from Annabeth’s lips. 

He’s tempted to ask why they even brought Leo along but decides it can wait until later. 

Hazel’s hand slips into his as Piper finishes the story, taking over after Leo, and she squeezes before letting go. “I can try and look around. Maybe someone is manipulating the Mist and I can clear it away for us? That could be what messed with your head when you scouted earlier Leo, and why the rest of you never felt anything.”

Jason smiles. “That would be great, Hazel.”

Annabeth nods. “And Frank, I know Leo already checked with Festus-”

“Three times,” Leo mutters, but Annabeth ignores him and Piper nudges him in the side with an elbow, making him yelp and rub the spot with a frown.

“- but I was wondering if maybe you could fly overhead and see if you could spot anything they might have missed? Bird’s have great eyes, they can see things farther than human’s and with more accuracy. Maybe there’s something we can only see in the dark?”

Frank nods, seeing what Jason meant when he said Annabeth was reaching for any solution. “Of course.”

Annabeth breathes out a breath of relief, as if she’d been expecting him to say no and Frank glances at her more carefully. “Great, okay.” She mutters, seemingly to herself. “I’m going out to look again, Hazel would you mind if I came with you?”

Hazel shakes her head. 

Annabeth turns to Leo, Piper and Jason. “Would you guys mind-”

“We’ll go again too.” Jason says. “Maybe we’ll pick up something we missed before.”

Annabeth purses her lips. “I’m wondering if we should look deeper in the trees- Leo, where was it you said that weird feeling came over you was?”

Leo frowns and scans the circle of nature around them. Finally he gestures to Frank’s right. “That direction. But you’re right, it was kind of farther in, I’m not sure if you guys could find it just walking.”

“Well, Frank, maybe you can see if you notice anything weird over there.” Annabeth delegates. “Hazel and I will start on the ground, same place. We’ll look until Hazel senses something or it gets too late. Should we meet back at nightfall?”

Frank glances at Hazel who meets his eyes and then looks to Piper. Annabeth obviously wants to stay out for as long as possible but Frank doesn’t know whether it’s a good idea. Anything could happen within the span of an hour, nevermind four or more.

Leo voices what the rest don’t say. “You can all eat cold sandwiches on your walks but I’m coming back and cooking up some burgers. Anyone who feels the same is welcome to join me.”

Annabeth’s face falls a little but it’s gone in an instant, so quick Frank thinks he might have imagined it. “Okay, we’ll meet back here for supper. Sound good?”

They all nod. 

“Then let’s go.”

Frank squeezes Hazel’s hand once more before feeling the familiar power rush through his blood and jumping up to take off, emitting a loud and high-pitch call that pierces the air as his wings give powerful flaps. 

His wings beat powerfully and the force of the wind presses against the feathers protecting him, but he soars on, his sharp bald-eagle beak cutting through the air as he flies over the trees Leo had gestured to.

For a while he doesn’t notice anything, and flies back and forth trying to decide whether he was missing something or if there really was nothing there. He moves farther away from their campsite, deeper over the trees, and while everything looks the same he definitely feels a sudden change.

It’s not physical, not really, Frank thinks. It’s almost like his mind gets heavier, like there’s a weight on it, making it hard to think and see things clearly around him. He notices the trees end and give way to a clearing in front of sheer, rocky hillside, almost like a cliff, but not as tall. The top is green and covered in grass. There’s even patches of green dotting the side. 

Patches of green that Frank notes surrounds an opening. Like that of a cave. 

With mountainous effort Frank clears his mind and dives down to land on a tree branch nearest to the rocks.

He looks around. 

There’s nothing. He hears birds in the distance, the rush of water from the nearby river, and wind blowing through leaves. Frank notes that there’s no sounds of insects, and when he looks down he can’t see any either, but that might not mean anything. 

Still. A patch of lush and thriving nature with no bugs? That’s not normal.

Something feels off, and it’s like the feeling he gets whenever Hazel experiments with the Mist around him. He senses something more, and the sounds around him feel distant. The wind in the trees sounds like it’s coming from meters (because he’s Canadian and the metric system is ingrained into his very system, okay?) away, not all around him. The grass isn’t blowing, which isn’t that strange, but the leaves above him on the tree he’s perched in aren’t moving either.

That is strange. 

He peers into the cave again, trying to see anything he can, but instead it just seems empty and dark. The walls are smooth, like a snake came and forced it’s way out from the ground through the cliffside, and the entrance is larger than Frank would have expected, but he can’t pinpoint what’s making him so uneasy about the place.

Annabeth told them Rachel had a dream about a cave and that was what they should be looking for, but Frank can’t see why it would be this one. It’s kind of randomly placed and maybe the vegetation is acting weird, but he’s not a nature expert. 

He does have that feeling though…

He shakes his head and the muscles where his wings join his body bunch together as his talons grip the branch tighter before releasing altogether and letting go. Frank’s wings beat through the air and he soars away, back towards the others, figuring he’ll tell them what he saw and let them decide what to do. 

Something he notes is that the farther he gets the more his mind clears, and looking back on it the cave wasn’t just unsuspicious, it was completely innocuous. No sounds or movement came from it at all, like it was totally dead. 

Frank ponders the information as he flies back, wondering what it means. 

oooOOOooo

Percy’s been thinking about his mom a lot. 

It’s sort of like when he’d been stuck training with Lupa for weeks. Of course back then he’d had no idea if his mom was even still alive, or whether she wondered or cared where he was back then. Hades, Percy hadn’t even known his own name, Lupa had told him. 

All he’d known was Annabeth.

So his mom? She’d been a complete mystery to him. His father was the same, he hadn’t had a clue about either of them. It hadn’t stopped him from wondering though. Late at night, when he was finally allowed to get some rest on the cold patch of earth he’d claimed as his, he would wonder about his parents. He’d wonder if they missed him or if he had parents to be missed by. He’d wonder which was his godly parent and which was his mortal one. Mostly he just wanted them with him, to help him and tell him what he was supposed to do, because he’d been so lost and scared. 

Of course it hadn’t helped. Percy had trained with Lupa and her pack alone, no one had shown up to help guide him. He’d clung to the fact that he would see Annabeth again, the only person from his past he remembered, and that had been Percy’s only solace. Knowing that there was a girl named Annabeth who loved him. Knowing that at least he had her and she missed him and more than anything, he had to get back to her. 

This time is different. Percy remembers everything about his mom, and more than that, he knows for a fact that she’s probably going crazy worrying about him. 

Which is exactly what he doesn’t want. His mom is over nine months pregnant. She doesn’t need that kind of stress.

Percy’s being eaten alive by the guilt. 

It would be different if this was the first time he’d disappeared with no explanation. The situation would be entirely changed if his life wasn’t what it was. 

But, of course, it is. And he had disappeared before. For six months. 

Gods, his mom was probably worried sick. 

He knew Paul would be taking care of her and he wished, with everything he had, that he could be there to do that himself.

He wished that he wasn’t a son of Poseidon and his life wasn’t full of life-or-death save-the-world quests. He’s exhausted and just wants to be done with it all. All of the heroes in the old Greek Myths had one quest and that was it, they died or they got their happily ever after.

(Except for Hercules, of course, who got 12. But he’s a special case. And the original Argo group was different, they signed up for that mission. Anyway, it doesn’t matter. There’s no way Percy’s doing 12 quests, nuh uh.)

Percy wants his happily ever after now.

When Percy thinks of his mom and her hugs he thinks of the way she wraps him in her arms entirely and squeezes. Her hugs ground him, the pressure is necessary to remind him that yes, he’s still there, and no, nothing was attacking them at the moment. It was just his mom, Sally Jackson, letting him know how much she loved him.

Right now he really fucking misses her. 

It’s for his mom and Annabeth that he’s doing what he is now. He needs to see them again and nothing is going to get in the way of that. Grover, Tyson, his friends at each camp… His family need him back and he’s making sure he gets there for them.

If that means pretending to work with the very giant who kidnapped and had planned to kill him, well, that’s what he’ll do. Nothing stops him when it comes to the people he loves and their safety and Aristaeus threatens that. 

He wishes he had the strength to just fight him, but even if he did, Percy can’t kill the giant without the help of an immortal. It would be pointless and it would show Aristaeus that Percy doesn’t mean everything he’s been saying for the past hour to convince him he’s sick of the gods and genuinely wants to join him.

“My father only claimed me to clear his name when Zeus’ Master Bolt was stolen,” Percy’s saying as Aristaeus follows his every word closely. “If it hadn’t been for that I doubt I would have been claimed for years. It would have become obvious who my parent was, eventually, but I don’t think he would have made the effort to make it official anytime soon.”

For a second Percy wonders if that’s what would have happened. If he hadn’t been needed to recover the bolt and Hades’ Helm, if Poseidon hadn’t needed someone to right the wrong against him, when would he have claimed Percy? He’d allowed Percy to stay at Camp Half-Blood for a couple of weeks before claiming him even then. With no imminent war of the Big Three, would weeks have become years?

He’d like to think his father was better than that; but there’s a little part of him that wonders. 

If Hades hadn’t sent Mrs. Dodds after him, would Percy even have made it to Camp?

Aristaeus nods when Percy trails off into thought. “The gods are careless this way. It is what made Luke Castellan’s demigod army so angry and so easily manipulated.”

Percy tenses and wants to bite out a reply but manages to hold his tongue and instead smiles painfully.

“I saw how angry those demigods were,” Percy says when his mind’s cleared. “And I can understand why. I can understand why Luke thought the way he did.” 

That’s not a lie. Percy can empathize with Luke more and more as each day passes. Luke had grown up with a mother whose mind had left her because Hades had cursed the Oracle. Luke hadn’t known that, but it would have been easy to blame the gods anyway. Maybe Apollo, but if it had been Percy he knew he would have blamed the one responsible for May Castellan being brought into the situation in the first place- Hermes. 

If that wasn’t enough, Luke’s first friend, Thalia, had been wounded just as they’d reached Camp, and Zeus had waited until the last second possible to turn her into a pine tree and save her life. 

Percy sometimes thinks back to when he’d felt so helpless after fighting the Minotaur because he’d thought the monster had killed his mom. Even at 12, if his mom had really died on that first night he came to Camp and he hadn’t held out that hope he could get her back from the Underworld, Percy thinks he could have thought the same way Luke came to do. The only difference was that his mom hadn’t been dead and he’d been able to save her. Luke had survived six years without Thalia and only got her back when there was no chance their friendship could be saved.

Then Luke’s quest had come, a quest he’d failed because his heart wasn’t in it, he’d met Hermes who had disappointed him and Kronos had used that and worked his way in. 

Yes, Percy can empathize with Luke because he thinks if his life had turned out differently, he would have ended up very similar. 

Aristaeus nods. “The gods are much more concerned with themselves than with the lives of those they affect. They use and cast aside mortals daily. Any half-blood that comes from it is a mistake, one they’re quick to send to your precious camps so they don’t have to deal with them. How many gods do you think go into the relationship with a mortal and actively want a child, Perseus? I am sure you are correct in saying if he could have, your father would have ignored your existence. They are selfish and conceited, and none of them value anybody unless they are immortal like them. Even then most look down upon one another.”

Percy grits his teeth. He knows- and probably has for a while now- that most of what Aristaeus is saying is likely true. That doesn’t mean he likes to hear it.

The gods aren’t perfect, that’s obvious to anybody. Kronos is worse. 

He has to keep telling himself that. Otherwise it will be too hard to tell himself this is all pretend. He reminds himself of everything his father did to help him over the years. All of the hints and gifts. 

(If he wonders where that help is now, well. No one except Percy knows about that.)

Percy keeps going because he has no other choice. 

(And also because he really wants to taste a cheeseburger again. With fries. That sounds amazing, better than any ambrosia or nectar.)

His stomach growls and Aristaeus lumbers to his feet. “Time for more food, yes? How often do mortals need to eat in a day?”

“Usually three meals a day and lots to drink.” Percy says, wondering if the giant is going to surprise him and wheel out a buffet this time or just give him more french toast. He continues, forcing a casual note in his voice. “We need a variety. Eating the same thing over and over makes us sick.”

The giant stops in front of the mini fridge. “You cannot eat more French Toast?”

Percy starts to grin before tamping it down in case Aristaeus turned around and saw. “I mean if you want it to come back up in an hour I could.”

The giant does turn around at that, frowning. “I suspect neither of us wants that.”

Percy shakes his head slowly, careful not to jostle himself too much.

“Hmm, mortals have weaker stomachs than I imagined.” The giant clutters about as he mutters, pulling out bread, eggs and syrup, moving to the fire. Percy blinks and where before Aristaeus only had food products in his hands now he has a frying pan in one as well. “What to give you instead?”

The thought of eating anything from that fridge makes Percy’s stomach turn. He wonders… it’s a long shot, but maybe…

“I’m not sure.” He pretends to think. “Obviously I can’t eat eggs, that’s too similar to French Toast.”

Aristaeus nods, listening closely. “Bread perhaps? I’m sure I have butter, and there’s meat in the fridge.” Aristaeus hesitates, eyes glancing from Percy to the fridge and then shifting away. “Though perhaps not best suited for you.”

Percy tries really hard not to think of where that meat could have come from. 

“Isn’t there a town near here?” Percy asks. “We could get supplies for me there. There’s a few other things I could use.”

The giant raises an eyebrow. “Such as?”

“Well…” Percy coughs to show his embarrassment. “Toilet paper wouldn’t go unappreciated.”

He gets a blink in response. 

“You know, toilet paper?” Percy asks him. “TP? The Ticket to the Porcelain Throne? None of those ring a bell?”

Aristaeus shakes his head. “Porcelain throne?” 

Percy bites his cheek to stop from laughing at the genuine confusion on the giant’s face. He can just imagine what those words made the giant think of. “Nevermind it’s not actually a throne. All I’m trying to say is that I could use a few things. Soap and deodorant, maybe a toothbrush and toothpaste? Mouthwash at the very least.” His mouth tastes like something crawled in it to die and Percy can’t say he’s a huge fan of the feeling. He’s not planning on sticking around long enough to use these things, even if he should get them, it’s just he needs to make this half-formed plan work. “And food. Water to drink. Clothes.” He looks pointedly at his ripped shirt hanging from his body. 

Gods, he feels like he’s gone on a camping trip and forgotten his bag, that’s how many things he can think of to get in his head.

“Bah!” Aristaeus curses. “I have survived millennia with none of these things.”

From the smell of your breath, that’s pretty obvious, Percy thinks, but doesn’t say. He lowers his eyes to the ground, trying to appear embarrassed. “Mortals have gotten weaker since you died. Without these things we die.”

“Truly?” Aristaeus asks. “Without this- this toothbrush, a mortal will die?”

Percy nods, his tone very serious. “Oh yes. From something we call... Gingivitis.” He puts a note of horror into his voice on purpose.

(He knows people don’t die from Gingivitis but he’s really hoping Aristaeus doesn’t.)

“Gingivitis?”

Percy nods again. “And Tooth Plaque. Mouth Ulcers! All of that’s deadly to us, and only the toothbrush with it’s toothpaste can keep it at bay.”

The giant’s munching on his french toast now. “Then we must get you some.” He says seriously. “I would not want you to die from this Mouth Ulcer you speak of.”

For the first time Percy feels hope bubble in his chest. “Of course. The stores will be shut now, but we can go tomorrow. Or, if you’d prefer to stay here I could go myself. It will be, what? An hour’s walk?”

An eyebrow rises again. “You think to walk an hour in your condition?”

The demigod looks down as if he’s forgotten his injuries and curses. “Oh right.”

He pauses tactfully. “Then maybe… would you go? I know it’s a nuisance and it would be much easier to kill me, I’m sure-”

The giant flinches, making Percy pause for a second in surprise before recapturing his train of thought. “But if you decide it’s not too much trouble. I would wait here, of course.”

His stomach rumbles helpfully, punctuating the point.

Aristaeus nods. “You will get your supplies to stop this Gingivitis and Plaque.” He says the words slowly, as if afraid to incur the wrath of the diseases upon himself. “I will ensure it.”

Percy can’t help his grin this time. “Thank you.”

The giant nods. “In the meantime, you will have to eat bread, since you are so hungry. Or would you rather have scrambled eggs?”

Percy sighs. So close.

He moves around, trying to find a more comfortable position for his butt. “Eggs sounds good.”


	8. Chapter 8

Hazel’s a light sleeper. She has been for months now. Years of expecting monster attacks, fighting wars and sudden cohort drills have left her quick to wake up. 

Tonight she wakes up to the sound of Leo muttering to himself and pacing the campsite. 

“Come on, Festus, let’s go.”

She opens her eyes and lets them focus. The fire’s low, almost going out, and she dimly sees the shapes of the others spread around it in a loose circle, all asleep. 

After they’d all rejoined each other in the clearing (having found nothing in their search) they’d started cooking food and waited for Frank to come back. None of them had realized just how far away he’d flown and when he arrived they’d just been starting to eat. 

Of course all the food was practically forgotten when he told them about what he found. Annabeth had immediately grabbed a map and made Frank point out exactly where he’d been. 

They’d all talked it over and, after Leo pointing out it was getting dark, they’d decided to all go to the cave at first light. A few of them had protested, saying they should go tonight, but Leo had again pointed out that going into strange territory at night against a monster they knew nothing about and another monster that almost killed Percy when he was 12 was a really bad idea.

No one had wanted to risk the others, so none of them had protested. 

Which made it strange that Leo was getting up to go somewhere, since he’d been the one who said it was too dangerous in the first place.

Hazel opened her mouth and started to get up but then remembered what Frank had told her earlier. Leo and Chiron, the demigod trainer from Camp Half-Blood, were being controlled at random moments by their enemy. 

Hazel put her head back down and pretended to sleep, leaving her eyes open only a bit, enough to see Leo but not enough for him to be able to tell she was awake if he looked over at her. 

The worry that had filled her at the news of Percy’s disappearance grew as she listened to what Leo was saying. 

“Toothbrush, toothpaste, clothing, food, toilet paper and anything else he might need. How good do you think the security is around the nearest convenience store, big guy? Think I can disable all of the alarms and cameras?”

Hazel felt fear grip her. It was Leo was speaking, but he sounded weird. The tone of his voice sounded nothing like the demigod she knew. 

When Hazel realized what was happening it was too late to stop her friend. 

Hearing him speak had disoriented her long enough for Leo to jump on the automaton’s back and Hazel only barely managed to stand up and start saying his name before they took off, neither Leo nor Festus hearing her. 

“Leo!” She yelled. “Come back!”

The others started stirring at the volume of her voice and she turned to all of them. “Get up! We need to go after him!”

She went to kneel by Frank and shook his shoulder, forcing his eyes to open and look at her blurrily in the dying light of the fire. “What is it-”

“In a second,” she said, before moving to Jason, seeing Piper already up and looking around. 

“Hazel?” Jason asked her as he sat up. “What happened?”

“Leo’s gone.”

“What?” Piper asked sharply. “Where? When?”

Hazel stood her ground at the look on Piper’s face. “Just now, he left with Festus and they-”

“And Annabeth?” Jason asked her, making Hazel falter and look at him.

“What?”

“Annabeth must be with him.” Jason said, watching Hazel curiously. “Since she’s not here.”

Hazel gasped and looked around. She was met with three blank stares. 

“No.” She said, shaking her head. “Annabeth wasn’t with him.”

There was a moment of silence before Piper cursed. Jason moved over to her as Hazel looked at Frank helplessly. 

“She’s been taken by the monster too?” She asked, not expecting any of them to be able to answer her.

“Annabeth wanted to go and find Percy tonight.” Frank said finally after looking around quickly. Hazel saw him frown in thought. “Remember, she made me show her exactly where the cave was on that map? Annabeth’s gone. The map’s gone. Her pack’s gone. I bet she’s not captured, she’s just gone to go and find Percy.”

Piper broke away from Jason. “She waited until we were asleep to leave so none of us would stop her.” The daughter of Aphrodite shook her head angrily. “Stupid.”

“Who was on watch?” Jason asked. “Wouldn’t they have noticed?”

“Annabeth was on watch before Leo. She must have left sometime after waking him up, and maybe if Leo was already being controlled he didn’t notice her leaving.” Hazel said, putting the pieces together. It must have been Leo’s watch when Leo left too, otherwise one of the others would have been awake to stop him. 

“We have to get them back.”

Frank nodded at Jason’s words. “Annabeth’s on foot so she’ll be easier to catch than Leo-”

“She might have over an hour’s head start on us.” Piper interrupted. “And she has a map. We have to navigate through the woods in the dark with no idea if we’re going the right way.

While they were talking each of them had been strapping on their weapons, rolling up their packs and packing the food away. Hazel called Arion over to her. “Frank will probably be able to catch Leo the fastest. I have Arion, but all of the trees will slow him down. Jason you can fly but only short distances. How do we want to do this?”

“Frank’s the only one out of us who knows where the cave is, we need him to be able to follow Annabeth.” Jason points out. “The rest of us were never able to find it.”

“And when we catch Leo I’m the best bet of breaking him out of whatever trance he’s in.” Piper says. “My charmspeak can get through to him, I know it can.”

Both couples glance at one another. “So the girls together go after Leo and we go after Annabeth?” Frank says finally.

Piper nods and makes sure Katoptris is firmly on her waist before walking over to Hazel. “Makes the most sense, yeah?”

Hazel glances at Frank, seeing the worry she feels reflected in his eyes. “Yeah.” She says finally. 

She notices Jason walk over to Piper and them starting a hurried but hushed conversation so she moves to Frank. “Be careful. We don’t want anymore girlfriends looking for their kidnapped boys.”

Surprise crosses Frank’s face and Hazel curses internally. 

They weren’t dating anymore. Not really. The others didn’t know anything about it, but Hazel had told Frank that she was too young and wanted to wait a bit. 

Which basically meant they acted the exact same as always, just without the kissing and stuff. Which kind of sucked because Hazel liked the kissing. She just didn’t think she should tie Frank down when she was so inexperienced. 

He was free to be with someone… more appropriate? She guessed. 

Not noticing the mini war she was having in her head, Frank cups her face, stroking his thumb across her cheek. “You be careful too. Who knows what Leo might do.”

Hazel covers his hand with her own. “I will. Piper will get through to him, I know it.”

Frank nods and Hazel steps back, their hands falling between them as she backs away. He squeezes once, quickly, before letting go and Hazel turns around to meet Jason who’s coming over to Frank. “Watch out for him.” She says quickly, accepting his nod. “And for yourself. We’re all surviving to make it to New Rome, alright?”

Jason almost smiles at that. “Be careful, Hazel.”

Hazel meets Piper’s eyes as she walks up to her and Arion. She sees Piper take a deep breath before forcing a smile. “Ready?”

Hazel walks to Arion’s side and hoists herself up onto his back, reaching down to help pull Piper up behind her. “As I’ll ever be.”

With one last worried look at Frank Hazel sees him smile at her before she nudges Arion’s sides and they’re off to find their friends.

oooOOOooo

Leo’s screaming.

He’s screaming and screaming with all he has, but nothing is coming out of his mouth. His mouth doesn’t even open. The cool brush of the night air against his face jolts him to reality and blows his hair back before it bites at his lips, but they don’t part. They stay firmly closed as he sits astride Festus who has no idea that it isn’t Leo guiding him to the nearest town. 

It isn’t Leo’s hands that quickly disable the store security cameras once they touch down. It’s not his feet that walk him past each shelf, looking for each item the voice had told him to get. He grabs toothpaste, a toothbrush and deodorant from the personal hygiene aisle. He finds toilet paper one row over and on the other side of the shop there’s cold cuts, bread buns and packaged ready-made potato salad. He throws that in for food. He catches sight of a package of chocolate chip cookies and throws those in there too for some reason. Then he adds an armful of water bottles 

The entire time he does this Leo tries to stop himself. He uses every bit of willpower he possesses to make his hands stop moving. He tries to make his fingers release the basket full of items. He wants to go out and reset the cameras and alarm system but his body doesn’t listen. 

When he gets out of the store Festus cocks his head at him, eyeing the basket full of things warily, but Leo’s face stretches into a reassuring smile and he says to the automaton, “Don’t worry buddy. One more thing to do before we go check out this cave.”

Leo screams louder, trying to give Festus some sort of sign, some kind of warning, but the dragon only lowers himself for Leo to climb up onto. 

Then they’re off, flying through the air once again and Leo loses self-awareness once more.

oooOOOooo

“So how do you want to do this?” Jason asks Frank, eyeing the son of Mars a little warily. He doesn’t want to end up having Frank change into an animal Jason will have to cling onto for dear life. He also doesn’t want to end up dangling from a claw in midair or something. 

Frank glances over at the trees around them. “The leaves are probably too thick for me to see through if we fly,” he points out. “We’d never be able to see Annabeth through them. It’ll have to be on foot.”

Jason looks at him. “We’ll never catch up to Annabeth just walking.”

Frank grins and shakes his head. “That’s not the kind of foot I meant.”

Before Jason could ask what he had meant Frank disappears and instead of a teenage boy in front of him there’s a sleek black panther in his place. A very large, very intimidating black panther.

“Woah.” Jason says, not even pretending to hide the awe in his voice. “Yeah, this works.”

He turns to look in one of the panther’s eyes, a wild grin spilling across his lips because this is so cool, and Frank stretches out his right front leg, lowering one shoulder. 

With a whoop Jason climbs on, using the winds to make sure he settles down at least a little gracefully. 

With a snarl from Frank and a yell of excitement from Jason, the son of Jupiter feels muscles shift beneath him and has time to dig his hands the best he can into Frank’s fur before they leap forward and set off to find Annabeth.

oooOOOooo

“Hazel, look!” 

Piper points up at the sky towards the dark shape coming towards them. Both girls look up and catch a brief glimpse of Leo sitting on Festus’ back, flying overhead back the way they’d just come from. It’s only a second they catch a glimpse, Festus is flying so fast above them, blocking out the stars, but it’s enough for the girls to see who it is and where they’re going.

“He’s going back!” Hazel shouts.

“No!” Piper watches Festus and notices he’s not going back straight the way the girls had just come on Arion, he’s going slightly to the left. Piper’s mind races before she realizes. “He’s going to the cave!”

Hazel brings Arion to an abrupt halt, making the horse rear up and causing Piper to shriek grab for her friend frantically to stop herself from falling off. 

“Warn a girl next time!” Piper says breathlessly and Hazel just laughs.

Arion wheels around quickly and then they’re off again, following the automaton’s wingbeats, leaving a steaming trail in their wake.

oooOOOooo

Annabeth is walking forward and trying really hard not to think about food. 

Specifically cheeseburgers. 

Despite the mess her life can be at times (read: all the time) Annabeth has more than a few good memories. Meeting Luke and Thalia, going on her first quest with Grover and Percy, kissing Percy for the first time after the Titan War. 

One of those good memories is a lunch she spent after the Titan War eating cheeseburgers and fries with Thalia and Percy at the hotel on West 57th. They’d been comparing stories of what they’d been up to when the three of them had been apart and Annabeth had sat back and watched as Percy and Thalia had worked themselves up trying to come up with stories to outdo one another. 

(Percy had lost, of course, and both Annabeth and Thalia had gotten a free meal that day.)

Annabeth keeps thinking about how back then they’d all thought that was it. No more quests, no more battles or wars and no more ancient immortal deities trying to kill them and end the world. There’d been the weight of grief hanging over them all, but at least they’d been hopeful for the future. At least they’d thought the war was worth fighting because they’d saved everybody. 

Since then Annabeth’s learned not to let hope cloud her judgement. 

Hope didn’t help her when Percy was taken (the first time). It didn’t help her find where he was or design and build the Argo II faster. Hope failed her when she followed the Mark of Athena and ended up falling into Tartarus and dragging her boyfriend down there with her. Hope didn’t stop Gaea from rising and killing Leo, leaving her to grieve for her friend for months.

To Annabeth, hope is starting to be a very useless emotion. 

Yet she can’t stop hoping right now, as she pushes her way through the dark and the trees, that she’ll be able to find Percy tonight and the two of them will get out of here.

She’s not being rash or emotional. Annabeth rarely acts without thinking first (usually Percy is involved when she does) and now is not one of those times. Hades, she waited six months to see her boyfriend after he’d been kidnapped by the Queen of Cows, Hera, and if that doesn’t show restraint she doesn’t know what does.

Annabeth’s not being rash. She’s being smart. Pragmatic. Somebody dies on this quest and she’s not going to let any of her and Percy’s friends put their lives in danger like that. 

(She’s trying to ignore the fact that her and Percy being the only two involved really narrows down the list of who the death could be. Maybe Annabeth hopes more than she’s willing to admit. The two of them had beaten worse odds before.)

Annabeth looks at the map again and then stops to look up. It’s hard to see the stars through the trees and their branches covered with leaves but she’s sure she’s going the right way. She’s been walking for close to an hour now, if her wristwatch can be believed, and if she’d calculated correctly earlier the cave should be just a few more minutes ahead.

With renewed energy she keeps moving, making sure to step carefully so she’s quiet, fingering the pommel of her sword in case she has to use it unexpectedly. 

That’s when she hears it. 

Wing beats. 

Annabeth uses the sound to cover her footsteps as she moves faster and then suddenly she’s standing being the last line of trees. Beyond them is a clearing in the shape of a rough circle. It’s dotted with stray rocks and grass, which is all Annabeth can really see in the dark, but it’s definitely empty of trees. 

At the opposite edge of the clearing is the mouth of a cave. 

Pride sweeps through her and she would have started edging around the clearing, using the trees for cover, to get to the cave and check it out if it’s hadn’t been for the sight of Festus circling overhead and then landing. 

If that shocked her, the sight of Leo sliding from the automaton’s back carrying a pack and an unconscious body rooted her feet to the ground. 

Leo was supposed to be on watch back with the others, what was he…?

Her mind raced and eventually put the pieces together. Of course. 

She looked closer, trying to see who the person Leo was dragging to the cave could be, but she couldn’t recognize them. It was a woman, dark hair and skin close to the same shade as Hazel’s. If Annabeth had to guess she would say the woman was around mid-twenties.

Her heart beats faster. Without getting closer it’s impossible to tell if the woman is alive, but Annabeth hopes, for both the woman and Leo’s sake, that she is.

Festus is shifting anxiously and sniffing the air and for a second Annabeth swears his head lifts and he meets her eyes from where he’s standing. She feels fear grip her and for a second she’s scared Festus is going to give away her position and Leo will discover her. Then the dragon turns from her and opens his mouth, making a creaking noise. 

Leo stops from where he’s panting slightly, hunched over from the weight of the body he’s holding/dragging. “Don’t worry Festus, I told you, this is all to help us get Percy back.”

Festus makes another noise and Leo looks up, irritation plain on his face. “Don’t worry, I said. Just stand there and wait until I get back, then we’ll go to the others. Now be quiet, or else I’ll put you into suitcase mode.”

A low growl sounded from the gold dragon’s throat before cutting off abruptly as he moved to nudge Leo gently with his snout.

Leo didn’t seem to notice. 

“I’m coming!” He yelled into the cave, even though Annabeth couldn’t see or hear who he could be talking to. Leo made it to the edge of the cave. “Hey, Percy.”

That was the last thing Annabeth heard him say as her mouth parted in surprise and she started to move, loosening her sword in its sheath. 

Percy. Percy was in there. And he was alive. Leo had talked to him.

But it was too late to get her friend’s attention, because Leo and the woman he was dragging crossed the entrance of the cave and disappeared from sight.

oooOOOooo

Hazel ties her hair into a messy bun at the nape of her neck before she bends over to speak in Arion’s ear, urging him on. “Faster, Arion, come on!”

She’s gripping the base of his mane tightly with one hand, clapping the side of his neck with the other to encourage him further, and behind her Piper keeps muttering to herself.

“You’re not going to die, Arion’s a nice horse, he loves Hazel, Hazel won’t let you die.”

Hazel grins and leans back a bit. Piper’s arms are wound around her so tight there’s not much maneuverability between them, so when Hazel turns her head to look at her friend Piper’s chest is pressing against her back and her face is only inches away. 

“We’re okay,” she says to her friend. Sometimes Hazel wished she had Piper’s charmspeaking abilities. It would certainly come in handy in stressful situations like this. 

Piper’s multi-coloured eyes meet hers and Hazel feels her relax a bit. “We’re okay.”

“We’re going to find Annabeth and we’re going to find Percy. We’ll get through to Leo,” Hazel says, speaking loud enough to be heard over Arion’s footfalls and heavy breathing. She glances ahead every few seconds to make sure there aren’t any low-hanging branches that will knock them off. “I promise.”

Piper’s grip tightens around her. “Don’t promise things like that.”

Hazel stops patting Arion long enough to put her hand over Piper’s that are clasped together at Hazel’s midsection. She knows how dangerous a promise can be but Hazel knows how Piper’s feeling and right now she thinks they both just need some comfort and reassurance. “I promise. We’ll all be fine.”

Piper’s breath ghosts across the back of Hazel’s neck. Her hands are warm under Hazel’s and one of them turns up so Piper can link their fingers together.

Neither of them speak but they don’t have to. They’re both just there, holding hands tightly, watching out for branches. Two teenage girls on the back of a horse looking for their friends who want nothing more than for everybody to be okay.

The silence between them is broken when they reach Jason on the black of a huge black panther. 

“Woah!” Hazel calls, stopping Arion as they pull up alongside Jason and… “Frank?”

The panther stops moving when Arion appears beside him and looks up at her. It gives a yowl and Arion whinnied nervously but Hazel pats him once more and makes soothing shushing noises. 

“What are you guys doing here? Where’s Leo?” Jason asked anxiously. His hair was a bit ruffled and there was a twig with a few leaves still attached caught in the collar of his shirt. 

“Leo and Festus flew back overhead and we realized they were going to the cave.” Piper explained. Frank makes a low noise in the back of his throat that nobody tries to decipher as anything except a growl. Hazel shoots him a look and he immediately quiets. “We’re following them there.”

“It should be just ahead, I think.” Jason said. 

“Then what are we waiting for?” Hazel says. “Let’s go.”

Frank leaps forward and Hazel has to admit that Jason riding the back of the huge, sleek cat looks pretty intimidating. 

She nudges Arion and he takes one last bite of the gold nugget she’d brought up for him to nibble at during their brief rest. 

The four of them move on, weaving between the trees as close together as possible, going to save their friends.

oooOOOooo

Seconds after Leo disappears Festus roars, Arion jolts to a stop with Hazel and Piper on his back right in front of Annabeth and a black panther that Jason’s riding slinks up beside them. 

Annabeth would have shrieked- no, yelled, she’s a war veteran, gods dammit, she does not shriek- in surprise if it hadn’t been for Piper sliding from Arion’s back and covering her mouth with a hand.

“What were you thinking!” Piper whispers furiously and Annabeth can’t help but look into her friend’s eyes. “How could you just disappear in the middle of the night like that? We had a plan Annabeth, we were scared something had happened to you-”

Annabeth pulls away from Piper’s hand, noticing Jason slide off the panther right before Frank suddenly stood in it’s place. “I’m sorry-”

“What if we hadn’t reached you in time?” Piper goes on. “What if you were hurt, or- or killed and we came here to find your body-”

“Pipes-”

“No, Jason!” Piper’s voice is climbing and Annabeth winces. “You can’t do that, Annabeth, you should know better than anyone that you can’t just leave!”

Piper heaved in a deep breath before pulling Annabeth into a sudden hug. “I was worried sick!”

“We all were.” Hazel says, a bit more considerately thank Piper, but pointed all the same. 

“I know, I’m sorry, but I need you to leave!” Annabeth says, bringing out her sword. “All of you have to go back.”

Jaws dropped. “You’re kidding, right?” 

Annabeth shakes her head at Frank. “I shouldn’t have let you guys come on this quest to begin with. Earlier today, when I went to see Rachel… she gave me a prophecy.”

Annabeth recites it, seeing their faces grow grim. 

She also sees their expressions turn determined and she gets desperate. “Don’t you see? Someone’s going to die if we do this. I need to make sure it’s none of you. Go back before anything happens to you guys. I’ll get Percy and Leo and we’ll get out of here. If the three of us aren’t back by morning then go to Camp and get more help. But I need to get them out. Percy’s in there right now and he needs me.”

Piper’s shaking her head before Annabeth’s even done talking. Jason reaches behind him to unsheathe the gladius strapped to his back as Hazel brings out her spatha and Frank moves forward.

“You should have told us about the prophecy,” Frank says, and the others nod.

“But there’s no way we’re letting you do this without us.” Hazel finishes, and the others nod again.

“Together.” Piper says. “Like we always do. 

We’re staying together. You’re not getting away from me. Never again, rings out through Annabeth’s head. As long as we’re together.

“Leo and Percy are our friends too.” Jason says. “We’re getting them out with you.”

Annabeth looks at them all, meeting each of their eyes. “Someone’s going to die.”

Piper turned Katoptris in her hand. “If we left, someone would still die. You can’t stop a prophecy.” She looks up to meet Annabeth’s eyes. “We’re not leaving you guys.”

Annabeth opens her mouth but closes it again, knowing protesting is futile and would only waste time. Several minutes have passed already and she’s itching to go and find her boyfriend. “Fine. But guys, right now Leo is in that cave behind Festus with Percy and we have bigger things to worry about.”

Four pairs of eyes look past Annabeth. 

“The cave looks empty.” Jason points out. 

“It’s not.” Hazel says frowning, looking forward. “It’s just very heavily guarded. The Mist around it… it’s so strong, can’t you feel it?”

Frank nods but the Annabeth, Piper and Jason look at her blankly.

Hazel looks towards the cave before nudging Arion forward. “I can break through it, but I need to get closer-”

“We don’t know what’s in there!” Frank says. “What if something comes out that we can’t see and attacks you?”

Hazel looked down at him. “That’s what you guys are for.”

Annabeth turns around to look at the cave again. “It’s not much of a plan.”

“We have Festus.” Piper points out.

“Do we?” Jason retorts. “He went along with Leo when he was doing… whatever he was doing.”

“There’s a mortal in there.” Annabeth says, remembering the lifeless body Leo had dragged in. “We have to help them. And Percy. I’m not leaving him. Hazel, I’m with you.”

There was assent from the other three as Hazel moved forward, Arion trotting out to lead the group in the clearing. 

Festus gave them a look and Annabeth could have sworn the dragon was saying, Well it’s about time.

“Yeah, yeah,” she muttered. Right now was really not the time to nag her about how long she’d taken to come and find Percy, she was feeling sick at the amount of time that had passed already. 

“Can you get through it, Hazel?” Jason asked.

Hazel was looking at the mouth of the cave intensely. “There’s something… something’s fighting me-”

“Guys?” 

Leo appeared in front of them, stumbling as if he’d been pushed. He sounded confused and when he looked at each of their faces he paled. “What are we doing here?”

“Leo,” Annabeth and Piper spoke simultaneously. Annabeth pulled back for Piper to speak. “Leo, is it- are you really you?”

“Of course.” His tone spoke as if it should be obvious. There was a beat of silence before Leo’s expression clouded in realization. “What did I do?”

Piper opened her mouth but Hazel shouted out before she could say anything. “I did it! Hurry, the giant’s fighting me!”

“Giant?” Frank squeaked and Annabeth turned to the cave and gasped.

Standing just behind Leo was a green scaled son of Gaea, wearing nothing but a skirt of leather strips. His dark hair hung down to his shoulders, his fingertips ended in claws and his toes in talons. He towered over Leo and his eyes glowed emerald green as he smiled predatorily down at them. 

Clutched in one of his hands was a figure. He was wide eyed and his jaw was clamped so tightly shut that tendons stood out on his neck. The strain was obvious in his face and Annabeth got the feeling that he was trying desperately to speak but couldn’t.

She met Percy’s eyes as the giant spoke. 

“Demigods, we’ve been waiting for you!” The giant’s smile widened. “Are you all ready to die?”


	9. Chapter 9

Percy had really thought for a while that there was no way things could get worse.

Which was stupid; obviously when it came to him, things could always get worse.

Seriously though, he’d really thought things were gonna work out. Or at least have the semblance of working out. His plan had seemed to be going well- the giant had agreed to leave and get Percy his ‘supplies’ and hey, that was the first obstacle overcome. 

Of course that was when everything fell to pieces. Seriously, Percy can’t ever remember his luck turning so quickly and so drastically.

After eating his dinner of scrambled eggs Percy had dozed. Aristaeus had muttered about ‘refueling’ and ‘having one last thing to get done’ before he went to sleep. Percy had tried to stay awake and pay attention but he’d found himself with a full stomach for the first time in hours and couldn’t help it; his eyelids drifted shut. 

It was a short lived sleep. What must have been only a few hours later- though it was quite dark outside- Percy had been awoken by a loud thump outside and what sounded like wingbeats. 

Like a certain golden automaton dragon’s wingbeats. 

His eyes had shot open and Percy had pushed himself up on the futon, trying to see outside of the cave. He’d slowly gotten up, mindful of his still present injuries, and hobbled towards the mouth of the cave. 

The sudden appearance of Aristaeus’ arm blocking his path made him stop.

“Stay very still demigod.”

The tone had been deadly quiet and deadly serious. Percy had looked over from where he was frozen to see the giant beside him and looking out of the cave intently. 

“Shh,” the giant warned him, bringing the hand in front of Percy up to place a finger on his lips and complete the gesture. 

Percy watched as Aristaeus moved slowly towards the mouth of the cave, taking in the giant’s expression and seeing something it took him a moment to recognize. 

The giant looked worried.

Percy noted the huge battle axe strapped to the giant’s back and his mouth went dry.

“What is it?” Percy croaked, swallowing to clear his throat. 

“Silence.” Aristaeus hushed him without even looking back. “If you move forward anymore, I will kill you, Perseus, believe that.”

Percy watched the giant’s back in horror as Aristaeus moved to the opening of the cave and shouted, “Hurry up! There are demigods coming after you!”

He wasn’t talking to Percy, but that didn’t matter. He couldn’t stop himself from taking a few steps, but the giant didn’t notice. Aristaeus didn’t need to stop him because the sight that met him when his eyes finally adjusted was enough to make him halt. 

Leo was dragging a body towards the two of them. 

“I’m coming!” Leo yelled in response over his shoulder. Percy was stuck watching wide eyed and felt dread curdle inside of him when Leo’s eyes shifted to meet his. “Hey, Percy.”

He shook his head, trying to quickly make sense of what was going on. “Leo? What are you-”

His mouth snapped shut as Percy realized what was happening. Of course. Aristaeus had shown Percy the extent of his powers multiple times and Percy had been the one to suspect Leo of being controlled back before he was kidnapped. He should have put together that it was Aristaeus controlling Leo; there was no other explanation, that was obviously what was happening right now. 

Percy’s mind raced. What should he do? Keep his cover of being on the giant’s side? Go along with whatever they were doing?

His eyes caught on the mortal Leo was lying at Aristaeus’ feet. He looked up and saw the giant lick his lips, a hungry look in his eyes. 

“What’s she for?” Percy asked, remembering the night with the Chimera. The other dead woman, the glowing circle, Aristaeus bathed in dark light.

Aristaeus looked at Percy as if he’d forgotten him, which was unlike the meticulous immortal Percy had come to know and, frankly, a little insulting. “Magic comes at a price, Perseus. You should know better than anybody, were you not the bearer of the Achilles Curse for a while?”

Percy’s hand shot to Riptide in his pocket before he could stop it. A fuzzy memory of Aristaeus standing in the middle of a circle of glowing lines at the forefront of his mind and Percy gasped. “You’re going to kill her for- for magic?”

Aristaeus was looking out of the cave again, unconcerned with Percy. “One of them is fighting me already.”

“One of- what are you talking about?”

“Oh, the others followed me.” Leo said unconcerned while Aristaeus looked out of the cave and muttered. “Hazel is stripping away the glamour over the cave right now and it’s taking a lot of Aristaeus’ strength to fight her.” He finally stood up from where he’d been bending over.

Percy finally looked at what his friend had been doing. Leo had been busy making a replica of the circle from before, the one Percy had seen that night he’d fought the Chimera. Inside of it was a six-pointed star. The points touched the edge of the circle and in the spaces between the star and the circle there were other symbols. 

Percy looked closer, realization filling him as he slowly started the recognize the drawings. The star itself was an Ancient Greek symbol for a conjoining of the four elements, earth, water, air and fire, meaning as above, so below. In the top right space was the symbol for earth drawn once more, an upside down triangle with a triangle cutting off the bottom’s tip. Going clockwise, the next was one of immortality, followed by magick, enchantment, strength and lastly the symbol for the past.

The lines were drawn in ash. Leo had burnt the circle onto the floor, leaving soot behind. 

The giant looked down to where the mortal was at his feet and lifted her with one hand to place her in the middle of the circle.

Percy couldn’t stop himself. 

“No!” He threw himself forward, not sure what he was going to do and not sure what exactly it was that he was stopping. All he knew was that he couldn’t let this woman die- if she was still alive.

The giant let out a sigh as if he’d been expecting it and Percy was scooped up in one of his hands before he knew what was happening. The mortal was placed in the middle of the star, slumped over to lay on the ground.

“Leo,” Percy choked past the death-grip Aristaeus had him in. “What did you do?”

Leo looked up at him and Percy could pinpoint the exact moment he regained control of himself. Instead of a blank expression his eyes grew wide, his face paled and he stared at the mortal with horror. “Oh my gods-” 

His voice was a higher pitch than usual from fear, but it was definitely Leo speaking. Fingers tightened around Percy and Aristaeus cursed. 

“This is falling apart,” the giant muttered to himself and Percy blinked and looked at him. “If you had only listened and joined me-”

Percy was distracted by the sight that greeted him outside of the cave. Before when he’d looked he hadn’t seen anything. Now he saw...

Annabeth. 

There she was, standing with their friends, sword in hand, looking absolutely livid. Around her were Frank, Jason and Piper. He saw Hazel sitting astride Arion standing a bit behind them.

His friends. They’d actually found him.

And Annabeth. 

Gods, she was here. 

“Annabeth!” Percy called before he choked, feeling the air flow to his lungs cut off suddenly. 

“Shut up!” The giant roared. “She can’t hear you!”

“Percy!” Leo yelled, scrambling to come closer and glaring at Aristaeus. “You want some of this, snake eyes?” 

He held up his hands and Percy squeezed his eyes shut, hoping Leo knew how to aim the fire that would come shooting from his hands, but nothing came. 

“What-” Leo looked at his hands in confusion, fear creeping into his expression. 

Percy cursed in his head. He opened his mouth and tried to explain that the giant was suppressing their powers but no sound came out.

Leo met his eyes and then looked at Aristaeus. 

Then he did what any rational person would have.

He ran. 

Aristaeus snapped the hand that wasn’t currently holding onto Percy out and grabbed Leo as well. “Not so fast, son of the fire god.” 

Leo went limp so suddenly that Percy was afraid he was dead, thinking the giant had somehow crushed him. He would have yelled out if Aristaeus wasn’t controlling him and making sure his mouth didn’t move an inch.

“Pluto’s daughter is stronger than I anticipated.” Aristaeus muttered and Percy had no choice but to listen, looking at Hazel who did indeed seem like she was saying something. She was holding a hand out and muttering and for a second, just a second, Percy thought he saw the air shimmer.

She’s going to bring them down, Percy realized. The wards were really going to fall. Hazel’s stronger than him.

He looked down at the mortal and the drawn circle that would glow with the right incantation and Percy fit more of the pieces together.

The mortal was for Aristaeus to gain strength. His magic came from draining others

All of the dead mortals hadn’t been the Chimera. It had been the giant that was currently holding Percy. He used them to make his magic grow stronger and without them he grew weak. Once he’d drained their life from them he gave them to the monster to eat.

Which reminded him. Percy looked around but didn’t see the Chimera anywhere and he tried to open his mouth again, to warn his friends.

Leo had been the one Aristaeus used to bring him a mortal. But he’d been too late because now their friends were here and he didn’t have time to perform whatever ceremony he needed to. 

He was weak. Percy suspected if they could fight him long enough that he would completely lose his power and grow so tired they could actually beat him.

He looked back at Leo and saw his eyes moving beneath his eyelids and relief swept through him. 

“I have to let the wards down,” Aristaeus continued speaking. “And I must release this demigod from my control. But you, Perseus, you will not speak.”

Percy felt his lips clamp even tighter closed against his will and felt sweat bead at his temples from the strength it was taking him to try and speak.

Percy watched as Aristaeus set Leo down as the demigod opened his eyes. Turned towards their friends, Leo looked about to speak before he was pushed forward, and he stumbled as he passed from the mouth of the cave to eventually stand up straight outside it.

The others froze and all eyes turned to him. 

Percy saw a rustle in the trees behind them all, saw a large four-legged creature with a golden-yellow mane and realization him him. 

“Guys?” Leo looked at each of their friends and Percy fought harder to speak than ever before. Aristaeus stepped forward once, then again, hovering just behind the line where the cave ended and grass began. Just out of his friends sight.

“You have no god on your side,” Aristaeus muttered to Percy as his friends spoke to one another feet away from him. None of them seemed to be able to see or hear the giant and Percy tried to get their attention, but his arms were pinned to his sides and the giant’s grip was firm. “No matter what you do to me, you can’t kill me. I have a Chimera and am invincible. This is a hopeless fight. Make them surrender and leave and I will spare you all.”

Percy looked over from the Chimera’s shadow behind all of his friends to meet the giant’s eyes. For a second he was tempted to do what Aristaeus asked. They’d formed a strange relationship over the past couple of days. It wasn’t friendship, they weren’t equals, but Percy felt that he inherently understood the giant. 

They’d backed him into a corner here. One the giant had forced himself into, by kidnapping Percy and wanting to end Olympus, but a corner all the same.

All Aristaeus wanted was his family back. He’d been nicer to Percy than other enemies would have been. He still hadn’t killed him, though it was the smartest thing to do. A part of Percy felt sorry for him. 

Without letting him reply Aristaeus stepped forward and Percy felt layers and layers of magic falling from him. He finally heard what his friends were saying. He saw as they all noticed the giant and if his eyes hadn’t been locked on Annabeth, he would have seen them all notice Percy in Aristaeus’ grip. He heard the gasps, he heard Hazel’s stream of incantation falter and he listened as Jason cried out.

For a second Percy wondered what he must look like. He’d never gotten to use any of that toothpaste, fresh clothes or deodorant Leo had brought with him. Stupidly Percy wondered about his hair before remembering there was a bandage hiding most of it.

Then he shook himself out of it. Annabeth had seen him look worse and now was not the time for his vanity to make a reappearance.

He tried to say something. He attempts were, ‘hi,’ and, ‘what have you guys been up to the past couple of days,’ and also, ‘could you please kill this guy so I can go home now?’

Nothing escaped his lips.

But the relief he saw written plain across Annabeth’s face was mirrored on his own and he hoped that said enough. “Percy,” she breathed out, and his heart gave a painful thump.

“Demigods, we’ve been waiting for you!” Aristaeus crowed happily. You never would have known the guy was practically having a nervous breakdown a few minutes ago. “Are you all ready to die?”

oooOOOooo

That’s the moment Frank can say things really went haywire.

If he’d been watching the giant like the others he wouldn’t have caught it in time. But he and Annabeth had been watching Percy, so they’d seen his eyes widen in alarm at the sight of something behind them. 

Frank had enough sense to tackle Piper and Jason to the ground as the Chimera had jumped from the trees and landed with one clawed paw exactly where Frank had been standing a few moments ago. 

Someone screamed. It could have been him. Arion whinnied, so high-pitched it made Frank wince, and Festus roared, whirling around from where he’d be standing beside Hazel to face the monster and stand in front of Leo protectively.

Annabeth used the monster as a distraction and charged the giant.

Immediately it moved forwards and made to grab her, but Annabeth darted to the side and avoided his grasp. 

Frank would have gone to help but he was brought back to the present by Leo yelling, “Frank, move!”

He jumped up, turning into an eagle and flapped his wings, barely avoiding the Chimera. When he looked down the scene he saw made his stomach tighten from anxiety. 

Arion was running circles around the Chimera with Hazel on his back, swiping at the monster with her spatha. She couldn’t get close enough to it though, because the tail was trying to strike her.

Fear made his blood slow down in his veins when Frank saw the tail was a viper with huge, hideous fangs and that those fangs were inches away from Hazel.

Jason was trying to distract the Chimera’s lion head, yelling insults and Frank noted the thunder clouds that were gathering very quickly overhead. Piper was murmuring soothingly to it, her voice layered in charmspeak, and Frank caught one word- sleep- before he turned his focus away, lest he fall asleep in the sky and plummet to the ground. 

It was Leo that was making the most headway however. He was moving towards the Chimera and the threat of fire wasn’t bothering him in the slightest. In fact, Leo was throwing huge orbs of fire towards the monster, making it yowl in frustration and pain after it had tried to bat one away with a paw. 

Then there was Annabeth who had run up to the giant and stabbed it in the foot, making the huge figure scream out in pain and drop Percy. 

“Annabeth!” Percy yelled, seeming to have regained his ability to speak and Frank moved forward without hesitating, changing shape in midair to become a dragon. 

He grabbed Percy just as Annabeth turned to see him, face pale and yelling “Percy!” 

Frank felt Percy’s breath whoosh out of him at the sudden jolt of being caught midair but he didn’t let go. The giant roared and surged forward towards him and Frank roared.

He hurriedly put Percy on the ground and Annabeth ran up to him, speaking hurriedly, hands hovering over the multiple bandages that covered him, but Frank didn’t stick around to pay attention. 

He rose up in the air to face the giant and met it’s eyes. 

“The shapeshifter,” the words were a growl and Frank felt fear scrape down his spine like a cold blade. “You would be useful.”

Frank dove forwards and tried to scratch the giant, but the huge axe swinging through the air stopped him, making him veer out of the way. He tried again, keeping his momentum to circle around behind the giant and managed to claw at it’s left shoulder.

He howled in protest and pain and before Frank could celebrate his victory the axe was swinging around again and piercing his shoulder. 

He roared at the sensation and felt the burning rip in his shoulder as the blade was pulled away. Dimly he was aware of Hazel’s call of “Frank!” before he plummeted to the ground. 

Frank’s shape changed to a human only seconds after he crashed to the ground and he found himself yelling out from the pain radiating through his body. 

Shapes appeared over him and he heard Hazel yelling somewhere “Go to him!”, but he only managed to see Festus rising up in the sky, teeth whirring angrily and jaws opening to shoot fire at the giant. 

Festus swiped and managed to rake a single claw across the giant’s face. The giant’s right eye would have been blinded if he hadn’t pulled away in time, but instead all Festus did was leave a scratch from above the giant’s eye to end at the the apple of his cheek. 

Warmth fills Frank even as Annabeth rolled him onto his side, hurting him with the movement. Percy was feeding him ambrosia squares and Frank ate numbly, unaware of what he was doing. 

He had never thought the dragon liked him that much.

Then everything went black. 

oooOOOooo

“Annabeth, he’s passed out!” Percy’s hands roved over his friend, patting his cheeks, checking his heartbeat- which was still strong, but slowing down- and he saw steam coming from Frank’s skin. No more ambrosia then.

“I know!” Annabeth said back to him, teeth gritted together as she rooted through her pack. “I-I have bandages in here somewhere-”

Jason came to kneel beside Percy. “What can I do?” He asked hurriedly. “Hey,” he directed to Percy quickly. “Boy am I happy to see you.”

Percy met his eyes and nodded. “I know the feeling.”

They shared a quick tired smile before Annabeth shoved bandages into Percy’s hands. “Start wrapping,” she instructed, and Percy did, looping the gauze around Frank’s shoulder, passing it to Jason to do the back.

It took less than 5 minutes and was a shoddy job, but Annabeth whipped out safety pins and started pinning the bandages in place. 

Her hands were shaking, Percy saw and he looked up to see tears in her eyes.

“Someone needs to stay with him-”

A roar from Festus made all of them look over only for the sight of Festus’ neck caught in one of Aristaeus’ hands to greet them. 

The giant let his axe clatter to the ground and caught Festus’ right back leg with his other hand. Percy watched as the muscles in the giant’s arms bulged and a few seconds later Festus’ joints gave an unhealthy groan and his leg was ripped off and throw away.

Leo looked up at that second from where he’d been standing in front of the Chimera and screamed. “Festus!”

The dragon’s jaw creaked and Percy swore his glowing red eyes looked pained as Aristaeus dropped him to the ground, picked up his axe and cackled with glee. “Goodbye dragon!” The giant said and brought the axe swinging down to sever the automaton’s head from his body.

The red eyes dulled, the jaw stopped moved and Festus was no more.

Percy’s hand shot out to grip Annabeth’s automatically, feeling her squeeze his in return. Leo screamed and Hazel cried out to warn him but it was too late, the Chimera was opening it’s mouth and let loose a huge stream of fire directly where Leo was standing.

Jason yelled in anguish from beside Percy, but it was drowned out by another sound.

“NO!” Piper’s voice reverberated around the clearing. “No, stop, Leo-!”

The giant hefted his blade back up and looked around before grinning wickedly and, meeting Percy’s eyes, lifting a foot to stomp on Festus’ head.

When he stepped back the head was completely destroyed. Metal was mangled and bent and Percy looked at what remained of Festus and wondered how Leo or anybody else would ever be able to fix him.

Rage filled him and Percy felt the strength he’d been missing in the cave fill him. 

“Stay with Frank!” He yelled before surging forward, taking Riptide from his pocket and uncapping the sword, rushing towards the giant.

He heard Annabeth curse behind him and say something to Jason, but he focused on the sudden presence that appeared next to him.

When he glanced over Leo's face was murderous and for a second Percy felt a flash of pity for the giant, because there was no way that Aristaeus was making it out of this encounter alive if the look on Leo’s face was any indication.

"Ready?" Leo bit out to Percy as the giant turned and grinned down at them.

Percy’s eyes met those of Aristaeus and for a second he wondered if the giant felt even the slightest bit sorry. He’d seen that this giant had emotions, much like Damasen, and Percy thinks if things had turned out different, Aristaeus might not have been their enemy. He had tried to stand up to his siblings and been punished for it. All he was trying to do now was bring his family back so that he didn’t have to be alone. 

But Percy had a family too, people he had to protect. And Aristaeus threatened that.

Percy rolled his shoulders, blocking out any sympathy he felt for the giant as he did so, feeling the muscles pop as he placed the last square of ambrosia he'd been about to feed Frank on his tongue. The taste of cookies soothed his words. "Oh yeah."

Together they charged and Percy saw Aristaeus' face change from gleeful to serious. 

Percy grinned and the giant zoomed in on him for a second before he shifted to look at who appeared beside him.

"Thought I'd let you two do this alone?" Annabeth asked cheekily and met Percy's look with a grin. 

"Never," Percy said and he bit back a sudden laugh when Annabeth lifted her Yankee's cap to her head and disappeared, making Aristaeus howl. 

"Tricks!" He called, swinging his axe in front of him in case Annabeth managed to sneak past Leo and Percy. "I have tricks too, demigods, would you like to see?"

His eyes glinted and Percy felt his limbs slow and when his eyes looked over he noticed Leo moving as if in slow motion.

"No!" Hazel yelled, and she turned her attention from the Chimera to the giant, palms out. Even Arion was slower, though slow motion for him just meant normal horse speed. The Chimera however was moving just as fast as ever and his tail whipped out to bite one of Arion's ankles.

No words were escaping Piper's mouth and her eyes were wide with fear. 

Until a blast of pure, untainted magic erupted from Hazel as Arion collapsed beneath her. She jumped from the horse's back and rolled to stand up, facing the giant rage on her face. "This is for Frank." She spat, eyes glowing fiercely, and Percy felt a spark of fear towards this girl who he'd always thought of as a little sister. "And for my horse." Hazel’s eyes glowed, golden and furious, and Percy watched as Aristaeus staggered, clutching his chest and howling at an unseen wound.

Hazel’s magic touched Piper and she unfroze, moving forward quicker than anybody could have expected with her dagger in hand to leap up and stab the Chimera right in the eye. 

The tail whipped forward to bite at her shoulder, but Jason was there first, using his gladius to swipe and slash the newly regenerated snake's head deeply enough to send it whipping back. 

The Chimera yowled and it was then that Percy realized his limbs weren't frozen anymore and Leo was feet ahead of him already, hands glowing. 

He glanced over and noted Hazel and a limping Arion moving to settle beside Frank, Hazel holding her hands over Frank's shoulder and muttering, eyes still glowing. Arion was staggering, falling to the ground, and Percy wondered how long the poison would take to kill the magic horse. 

He remembered the feeling of that poison in his own veins, burning through his blood, dizzying his vision. It took seconds, minutes maybe, but not long.

Percy looked towards Aristaeus and saw him take all of this in as he slowly stood up straight again. The giant was just opening his mouth and raising his hands to do more damage before he cried out and staggered.

When Percy blinked he saw Annabeth appear behind the giant, sword in hand and blood from the cut she'd just made on the back of the giant's leg dripping from the blade. Her cap fell from her head, falling to land on the ground, and she didn’t have time to pick it up, instead dodging Aristaeus as he quickly turned around to face her. 

Percy noted the cut was already healing, the ichor that escaped slowing to a trickle before stopping altogether. 

“Fool,” Aristaeus cursed at Annabeth and Percy felt himself speeding up. “You could join me, girl. We could recreate the world in your image.”

Annabeth’s grip shifted on her sword and Percy saw her swallow, even if nobody else did. He knew Annabeth’s fatal flaw, and he knew, however much she might try to deny it, that a small part of her always thought she should be in charge. Compared to the gods, Percy thought she’d definitely be an upgrade.

But Percy also knew Annabeth enough not to worry about the giant’s offer. Her words backed up his faith in her.

“I’ve had that offer before.” Annabeth hefted her sword up in a ready stance and met Percy’s eyes briefly before looking back up at Aristaeus. “So, thanks, but no thanks.”

The giant opened his mouth but didn’t say anything else because Percy stabbed him once more in the back of the leg with Riptide. He clung on as the giant fell to one knee and used the movement to push himself up, one hand reaching up to the waistline of Aristaeus’ leather skirt. He pulled, heaving his weight, and swung Riptide up again to stab the giant’s back until he finally made his way up onto the giant’s shoulders.

“What- Perseus-” The warning was lost when the giant had to turn and face Leo who’d shot a fireball at him. 

“Hey ugly!” Leo yelled. “This is for Festus!” 

‘This’ was a fireball to the face and Percy nimbly dodged the flames, slashing at the giant’s neck and ending up cutting off a patch of braided hair before sliding down an arm and landing on the ground. 

Aristaeus was screaming in pain and as Leo managed to conjure up another ball of flame, this one significantly smaller than the previous, he slashed the air with his axe wildly, looking for any target. 

Percy noticed Jason call down a flash of lightning and watched as it slammed just inches away from the Chimera, only missing it because the Chimera dodged towards Jason, claws out and reaching. 

“Stop!” Piper screamed and for a second everybody except her froze where they were, even the Chimera was hanging still in midair, a second longer than physics should have allowed. Piper used the moment to throw herself at Jason and slam him to the ground, making the Chimera sail over them before it hurriedly turned around, meeting their eyes again as both Jason and Piper stood up hurriedly. 

Percy’s eyes shifted to Hazel and Frank and saw her still bending over him, hands moving, mouth muttering and face creased in a frown. Percy swallowed, seeing the drawn, pale look on Hazel’s face, but he saw Frank’s eyes flutter and noticed him shifting before letting out a groan of pain and some of his worry eased. 

Annabeth came up beside him and Percy met her eyes, knowing she was taking everything in as well. For the moment the giant was occupied with Leo, both of them dancing around Festus’ ruined remains. 

In that second all Percy wanted was to wrap Annabeth in his arms and hold her tight, to breathe in the smell of her hair and feel her heartbeat against his chest. He’d missed her so damn much and now she was here and once again they were fighting for their lives.

“Game plan?” He asked instead, seeing her grey eyes roving the clearing and taking everybody in. He could practically see the plan forming behind her eyes.

She looked back at him, pain in her eyes. “Percy, without a god-”

“I know.” He said, meeting her gaze steadily. “But right now he won’t let us leave alive.”

He saw her flinch. “There’s something you should know. Rachel gave me a prophecy and-”

“Uh, guys I know you were just reunited and everything, but a little help would be nice!” Leo yelled, narrowly jumping back from Aristaeus throwing some kind of conjured lightning at him. “Like now!”

Without another word the two of them jumped forward, Percy moving to stand beside Leo, who was trying to bring more fire to his palms but managing only flickers. 

Percy saw him breathe deeply and noted the sweat on his brow. Annabeth was helping up Piper, who had been knocked down by a sudden move by the Chimera while Jason yelled and called down another blast of lightning, this one weaker, but catching the Chimera’s tail end. The monster yowled and Jason moved forward to strike, slashing the throat but having his blade glance off when it hit a collar instead of fur.

His blade clattered out of his hand and the Chimera shook itself and advanced. Piper wasn’t responding to Annabeth and Percy saw her head loll onto her shoulder as Annabeth tried to drag her over to Hazel and Frank. Frank was still unconscious, though looking like he had more blood in his features and his face wasn’t contorted in pain anymore as he lay resting. Hazel was slumped against a collapsed Arion, whose stomach was heaving. Percy saw the whites of the horse’s eyes and heard the pain (and cursing) as Arion let out a call of warning to the girls just in time for Annabeth to turn and slash the Chimera’s tail again. The blade was knocked out of her hand as she did and she had a choice between continuing to drag Piper or try and pick it up.

Leo tried summoning another ball of fire and managed it, only for the flames to sputter out seconds later. He was frantically pulling things out of his toolbelt and eventually, after throwing away a pack of breath mints and toothpicks, he pulled out his smithy hammer. 

His arms were shaking as he lifted it up. 

“Is this it?” Aristaeus spread his arms and taunted. The axe gleamed wickedly and Percy randomly noted that it was dawn. The sun was rising, slowly, but it was rising. 

If you feel like helping anytime, Percy thought up to Apollo, now would really be appreciated.

No gods or godly symbols appeared. Instead Aristaeus called the Chimera over to stand beside him and surveyed the tired teenagers in front of him.

“This is all who come to rescue the famous Perseus Jackson?” The giant spun around to yell. “Where are the gods now, demigods? You see how much your parents love you? Show me your reinforcements from your camps! Where is their help? What happened to the rest of your friends? You’re alone, you’re injured and too tired to fight! Join me, half-bloods. I am not unfair, this I would swear to you all. Even Perseus can agree. I was never malicious and I know all of you can understand my meaning when I say that the gods do not deserve to rule as they do. Zeus does not deserve it. My family has made mistakes, grave mistakes that many would think of as unforgivable, I do not deny it. But you are gracious demigods, and you are wise. You see the value in learning from the past and you see that the gods must change. How did they thank you after you saved the world, saved their world, from defeat at the hands of my mother? Did they shower you with gifts? Offer immortality? No, they did nothing, not a word of thanks, and instead cast out one of their own, blaming Phoebus Apollo, sending him to your doorstep and starting more trouble, leading to more war and more casualties of your friends and family. How many comrades did you lose against the Triumvirate in the war? How many demigods littered the battlefield of New Rome? The satyr Grover Underwood, a friend to you all, was nearly driven insane by having to return to the Labyrinth. You, Leo Valdez, were drawn into the fight earlier than anybody else. Your relationship with Calypso was tested and almost didn’t survive, causing you to hide in the Huntress’ safe house to repair it, away from anything else that might cause it harm. How does she feel about you being here now, instead of with her?

“And you, Aphrodite’s daughter.” He turned to Piper, who was clutching her head and sitting beside Frank. When she looked up to the giant though, her eyes flashed with fury and Percy saw Aristaeus stiffen. “All you want is a life with your boyfriend and for your dad to care about you, yes? You try going to school in Los Angeles, ignoring the monster attacks that plague you both daily, trying to be normal, but how often is your dad home? He couldn’t handle the truth about you or your mother, why do you still cling to the hope that someday he might? If he knew do you think he’d be proud of you?” Piper flinched and Percy looked between her and the giant, confused at the words, knowing there was something he was missing. “You think he would look at you,” Aristaeus finished softly, “and see anything but a manipulative goddess and murderous daughter?”

Piper’s face paled and Jason, who had moved towards her as soon as the Chimera was situated beside the giant, glared up at him. “That’s enough. Why are we even-”

“Ah, the son of Jupiter.” Aristaeus’ eyes glinted. “So moral, always so good. Unwaveringly so. Does it hurt to be so angelic all the time?” The giant’s smile was wicked. “So different from your mother. But of course, you wouldn’t remember her, would you?” 

Rage was building in Percy but he didn’t know what to say to combat the giant’s words. They were like finely honed knives, striking the weakest places in each of them, crippling their defenses.

“Even if she’d lived, demigod, you would have grown to hate her. Your sister only stayed because of you, and once you were gone she left too. How does that feel, having your mother give you up to the Olympian Queen without a thought? Having your sister accept your death within days, never trying to look for you or speaking of you to anybody. Never looking for a body or having a funeral. Not even her closest friends knew about you.” Aristaeus gestured to Annabeth. “It bothers you, doesn’t it? The first time you were stolen you were a toddler and nobody came looking for you. The second time, years later, was the same. What search parties came for you all those months you were at Camp Half-Blood, hmm? What did your friend Reyna do? What about your cohort? Your Roman family?”

Aristaeus sneered. “They did nothing. Because you were just another loss. It weakened them, but that was all your disappearance was. A spot to be filled, a rank to replace. A loss of leadership and power. I wonder,” Aristaeus mused, “if I had stolen you away, instead of Perseus, would your friends have come back? Would they have cared? I doubt we’d be here now, in this clearing, with these people fighting to save someone they lost. What do you think?”

Jason’s mouth was open but he made no move to speak, looking as if someone had just struck him.

“Jason-” Piper reached a trembling hand out to him, voice pleading. 

“You’re a liar.” Leo’s voice cut through the clearing. “Of course we would come for Jason, you foul-mouthed, slimy, green-”

“Oh, Leo.” Aristaeus looked almost pitying as he turned to him. “Am I to believe you would come save Jason when you allowed him to think you were dead for months?”

Leo, Jason, Annabeth and Piper all flinched. 

“I suppose it’s to be expected. You distanced yourself from the people who cared about you, ruining your friendships and whatever trust you might have had because you were so used to being alone. Isn’t that right, Leo? Ever since your mother left you, ever since you started a fire that killed her, you didn’t have anybody who cared. You searched so hard, and eventually you thought you found two friends.” The giant gestured to Piper and Jason. “But Jason’s memories were false,” he continued softly, “and Piper cared more about finding a boyfriend than putting up with said boyfriend’s tag along friend. When they started dating, well, you weren’t surprised when you were suddenly the third wheel, were you? Unwanted so often, never included in the whispers and jokes. So then you found Calypso and you thought here was a girl, someone who cared about you. This girl was yours and she loved you- of course, she loved Percy too. You think her love for you is so different from what she feels- so sorry, felt- for your friend here?”

Leo was glaring so hard at the giant Percy almost took a step away. Instead he looked at Annabeth, seeing the dull twist at her mouth and knowing the giant’s words had gotten to her, no matter how hard she tried to keep them away. 

He would have said something, he was going to say something, but Hazel beat them to it. “Leave them alone.”

“Don’t get me started on you, daughter of Pluto. I feel you fighting me even now, but your strength is gone from all of your healing. Your Frank will still die. Poison coats my blade and he didn’t escape it’s touch. But let’s talk about you, shall we?” He ignored Hazel’s look of anguish as she bent over Frank again. The rest of the demigods were frozen as her magic turned from them to him. “Bullied and abused by your mother only to have her turn around and manipulate you into sacrificing yourself just because she was dying. How does it feel, to be used so thoroughly that you give up your life for the person who cares nothing for you and cursed your very existence?”

“Stop it.”

Aristaeus ignored her. “How does it feel to be shunned because of your parentage? To have a brother who doesn’t trust or care about you enough to share anything of himself with you? Do you cry because your long-lost Sammy has a doppelganger that stands right in front of you but doesn’t feel anything when he looks at you?” 

“Don’t say another word-”

“And now you string along the son of Mars, who would lay down his life for you, because he’s convenient and cute. He had a crush on you since he arrived at your pitiful camp and you said, oh, here’s someone I can manipulate and use just as my mother used me. You saw the potential in him, you knew one day he would be powerful, and you have him wrapped around your finger. Anything you want, he would get for you and yet are you dating? Do you tell him you love him? No, you distance yourself, causing him pain and ignoring what he feels. At least you get what you want.”

Percy looked at Hazel in surprise as she cried out. “I’m only fourteen, Frank understands-”

“You break his heart everyday,” Aristaeus continued. “And you don’t even notice.”

Hazel fell silent, looking at the wounded demigod boy at her side and biting her lip.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Annabeth stood up, glaring at the giant and surprising them all as she broke through his magic. Percy’s heart swelled from pride even as he wanted to warn her, not wanting to hear whatever the giant was about to bite out to try and make her fierce expression crumple.

“Annabeth Chase.” The giant’s forced tongue flicked out as he clucked it disapprovingly. “Do I even need to say anything when it comes to you?”

“Say all you want,” Annabeth said. “We all know you’re nothing but a liar, alone and scared. Aristaeus, was it? I know tales of you, giant. The last of your kind, left to wander the earth alone, trying to escape the wrath of everybody who would kill you. What happened this time? Why is it always you your siblings leave behind to live alone?”

Pure, unrestrained rage flicked across the giant’s face and Percy saw the fist around his axe clench. He also saw him stroke the Chimera’s mane and watched as the snake head hissed, flicking up to eye Annabeth with interest.

“You’re one to talk about being left alone.” The giant said quietly. “Who played with you as a child, Annabeth? What parent defended you when you were kicked out of school every year? What kids wanted to play with the freak who couldn’t read, the smarty-pants who tried to show them up in every class? Did your step-mom let you have any of the cookies she baked for her sons? Did she ever trust you to be alone with them? Who killed the spiders for you Annabeth, and who let you scream yourself hoarse in your room, scared to death of the creepy crawlies that would come to you at night? Nobody believed you, so you ran away. Alone. You came across two demigods, but they were together long before they found you, and they cared for each other differently than they cared for you, didn’t they? Alone again. Thalia died on the hill, Luke turned his back on you, and now where are they? One dead, the other immortal and distancing herself from everyone she loves to try and make their eventual deaths easier, never taking time to come see you, never there when you need her. Who’s left from that family, Ms. Chase? You. Alone. Then you find Perseus,” the giant gestures to Percy, “but he leaves you too, doesn’t he? He might not mean to, but three times now he’s left you. Once to fall in love with a beautiful titan on her island,” Annabeth and Percy both flinch at the mention of Calypso, “another to become Hera’s pet amnesiac, and thirdly taken by me. He never mentioned you once, you know, in all the time he’s been with me. I don’t think he even cared whether you came to save him or not.”

Percy’s eyes widen and he tries to think back. How could he never have mentioned Annabeth? Didn’t he? He’d tried to protect her and stop the giant from going after his friends instead, but surely he’d said something about her-

Aristaeus’ eyes were hard as he continued. “Your friend Luke is dead. Your friend Silena is dead. Your friend Thalia cuts herself off from you. Your parents don’t care, your step-brothers don’t care, your cousin Magnus Chase has more important things to worry about than you. Your boyfriend-” Aristaeus laughs. “Well, it will be a miracle if he survives past today, not to mention a year, or two, or more. Who will you have then, hmm? Who stands by your side?”

Piper tremulously stands up, and Percy can’t believe these girls, his friends, who are strong enough to overpower the giant’s magic. He can barely twitch a finger, Leo hasn’t moved in minutes and Jason isn’t doing anything more than looking back and forth between everything going on.

Percy doesn’t know how they’re doing it, he just knows it must be taking incredible strength. He hopes they figure out a way to run up and stab Aristaeus in certain places he wouldn’t like to be stabbed and see if those wounds heal as quickly as the others have.

Piper stands to her full height, Annabeth slightly in front of her, Hazel on the ground next to Frank protectively, all of them glaring at the giant. The three of them look more formidable than a whole group of Amazon warriors (Percy knows from experience what that sight looks like) and if he was Aristaeus he’d be tucking tail and running right about now. 

“She has us.” Piper’s voice cracks until she tries again and this time it’s stronger. “All of us. Always.”

But the giant is either more desperate or not as smart as Percy thought, because he doesn’t cower and beg for their mercy. He doesn’t immediately surrender. 

“All of you.” The giant muses. “Such a formidable bunch, you are. What happens, I wonder, when one of you is lost forever?”

None of them understand but the giant just grins, looking from Annabeth to Percy and then back again smugly as he says softly, “Now, Precious.” 

Before any one of them can move, before any of them could even predict what was about to happen, the Chimera’s tail strikes, fast as any of them can blink-

-and closes its jaws around Percy’s midsection.

He blinks. 

Annabeth screams, a sound so heart-wrenching that Percy looks at her while he falls to the ground, feeling pain course through him, pain worse than anything the giant had done in the past, pain worse than anything Percy had ever felt. He would compare it to the pain of jumping in the River Styx but at least then he’d had hope that Nico wasn’t leading him to die and there’d been a possibility that he would make it out. 

So this is what dying feels like.

He sees Annabeth’s terrified face as he drops Riptide, he hears her scream ring in his ears as he falls, he feels the poison from the snake’s fangs move through his veins, can actually feel it’s progress working through his body as Annabeth comes to skid into a kneeling position beside him.

Percy thinks he hears the giant’s laughter.

“No, no, no,” Annabeth’s hands are moving over him frantically, she’s whipping out what must be the last ambrosia square she has and shoving it in his mouth, moving it so that he’ll chew, telling him to swallow. Her voice is high-pitched, more scared than he’s ever heard her and he’s seen this look on her face only once before, this terror and heartbreak. He’d seen a shadow of this expression when Thalia kicked Luke off of Atlas’ cliff.

“Not you, it can’t be you, please, gods, anybody but you, Seaweed Brain...” Percy can’t concentrate on what she’s saying, can only watch her mouth form the words and he sees tears in her eyes. 

He remembers when Annabeth had been stabbed by a poisoned dagger and Will Solace had been the difference between losing her and keeping her with him. 

“Where’s… Will… when you need him?” He wheezes out to Annabeth and sees her freeze before she makes sense of his words. 

Then her hands are pressing into him harder but there’s four different marks where the serpent’s teeth dug in and ripped through him and not even Annabeth can stop that. 

“Shut up,” she says fiercely, but the way her voice cracks at the end takes any heat out of the words. “Don’t you dare talk like that. You’ll be fine.”

“Never thought… I’d go down… by a snake.” Percy coughs and thinks he tastes blood on his tongue. With the way Annabeth’s eyes widen he suspects some of it had gotten on his chin. “Thought- at least a giant- titan maybe-”

“Stop it.” Annabeth says, asks, begs, pleads. “You can’t leave me- permanent, you said, something permanent in New Rome, marriage and- and kids-”

“I really did want it. You. For as long as I could.” Percy whispers to her, feeling his eyes start to close. The pain has dulled now, all he feels is his heartbeat, which seems slower than usual. “Annabeth…”

“Don’t you dare-”

“Tell my mom I’m sorry,” Percy whispers brokenly, and, “Love you.”

Then he doesn’t feel anything anymore.


	10. Chapter 10

The giant claps gleefully. “Is he dead? The poison acts fast, really he should have died minutes ago.”

No one speaks. They’re all staring at Annabeth, hunched over Percy, hands cradling his face, pressing into his torso, her voice begging him to open his eyes, to say something, to look at her. 

Percy doesn’t move. 

“It had to be done.” The giant says, and now his tone is almost regretful. “Quite the demigod you see, much too dangerous to be left alive. And after everything he saw and heard in the last couple of days… I couldn’t risk it, you understand?”

Everything happens quickly. 

Hazel staggers to her feet, holds her hands out, mutters an incantation and suddenly the demigods can move again.

Jason absolutely lunges for the giant, rage contorting his features. He slashes once, twice, deep gashes that makes Aristaeus howl and brandish his axe but Jason parries and keeps pressing forward, so lethal the giant backs up. 

The Chimera moves to protect it’s master but then Leo is there, withstanding the fire, taking it, molding it to suit his needs and throwing it back at the monster. The boys move together effortlessly, covering each other’s weaknesses and Jason summons winds made of fire, throwing it at the giant. 

Meanwhile Hazel is bringing every spell the giant ever wrought down. Every ward on the cave, every glamour, every mind trick is gone, and she notices a mortal lying unconscious just inside the cave walls.

She silently wills the mortal to stay that way until this is all over. It will be safer for her that way.

Frank begins to groan and Hazel looks at him, seeing him start to move. 

She doesn’t stop speaking but she does back up, keeping an eye on her best friend, the boy she’s loved for months.

Annabeth looks at Piper as soon as Leo moves away from where he was standing near Percy. “You saved Jason. Come save Percy.”

Piper looks stricken. “Annabeth-”

“You brought him back to life after he saw Hera’s true form, you told me!” Annabeth’s voice is wild, almost a yell. “Do it for Percy! Bring him back too!”

Piper’s running over, coming to a halt beside Annabeth and Percy’s bleeding body.

She swallows the bile in her throat. Percy’s blood, still wet, likely still warm, is covering Annabeth’s hands.

“I don’t know if-”

“Try!” Annabeth demands, and Piper, not knowing what else to do, does.

oooOOOooo

“Nephew.”

Percy’s eyes fly open.

Hades’ oily face looks back at him.

Percy promptly vomits all over Hades’ throne room floor.

Or he tries. He dry-heaves, but nothing escapes his stomach. When he tries to breathe he feels his body move, but there’s no relief, no feeling, from the action. 

Percy looks down and sees he’s hovering about an inch above the floor. 

He walks, or tries to, and instead just manages to float a little closer to his uncle, who’s seated on his throne carelessly. Ceremonial robes with faces of the tortured souls on it is his fashion choice of the day, and Percy is reminded strongly of the first time they’d met. 

That meeting hadn’t ended well. 

Hades sighs. “You're dead. Really, why does everybody who arrives here act like a newborn trying to walk for the first time?”

Percy looks at him, not comprehending the words. “Dead?”

He thinks back, tries to remember what had happened. It takes him a few seconds of Hades’ scrutiny, but eventually he manages it. 

“No, no, no…” He looks at Hades desperately. “No, I can’t be-”

“Finally caught on, have you?” Hades doesn’t sound the least bit interested. “Thank Zeus. No, thank me. Usually it takes more blubbering and dramatic staring off into the distance for memories to return.”

“There’s a giant,” Percy says, mind racing. “My friends need help-”

Hades waves a hand dismissively. “I am well aware.”

“Then help them!” Percy shouts, trying to stomp a foot but not managing to do anything other than kick some air. Skeleton guards appear from nowhere and Hades look down his nose to meet his eyes, thoroughly unimpressed by his temper tantrum. “They need a god-”

“I do not see why I need intervene more than I already intend to.” Hades says, looking at his cuticles with pursed lips. 

“More than you- what are you talking about?” Percy asks him.

Hades raises an oily eyebrow, finally meeting his gaze steadily. “You are not in Charon’s lobby. You are not in the lines of judgement. You are not standing before three judges being tried, nor are you standing before me on trial. Have you come up with no reason for this? Does it not seem odd to you? Dead souls generally don’t all end up in my throne room, demigod.”

Percy looks at him dumbly. Really, he hadn’t even thought to wonder about why he was here, it’s not like he was an expert on death. “Umm…”

Hades rolls his eyes in disgust. “Honestly,” he says scathingly. “Do you know how much I dislike you, nephew? I would love to see you sentenced to working on castle construction for eternity, or working at the admittance gates- what a miserable job that would be- but that will have to wait.

“What do you mean?” He’s really trying not to get his hopes up, but…

“You’re not staying. As much as I love the pleasure of your company, there are some,” Hades sneers, “who have requested- no, demanded- that I allow you to leave. So when your friend calls you back I am letting you answer her call.”

“Demanded I leave?” Percy asks. “Who-”

Hades gives him a long suffering look. “You want me to list them all? Not a chance. Just know you have some very powerful, very unexpected allies. Immortals I never would have pegged for being on your side.”

Hades waves a hand. “Now go. Even being in your presence this long exhausts me. You have a giant to fight and a much more horrendous death years ahead of you.”

Percy’s mouth falls open. “You’re letting me come back from the dead?”

“Letting you?” Hades scoffs. “Demigod, I am ordering you. Get out of here. I don’t want the Underworld to suffer from your presence before the Fates deem it necessary.”

“But-”

“Goodbye, Perseus. Consider this the last favour I ever do for you.”

oooOOOooo

Next time Percy opens his eyes it’s Athena standing in front of him, on the edge of a grassy hill overlooking an ocean. Sun glares down on them and Percy thinks this must be a dream because the landscape looks suspiciously like Greece. He might even see Athens in the distance.

She turns to him. “Don’t make me regret it,” is all she says before she’s gone.

He blinks and he’s in Apollo’s sun chariot. “I heard you, kid.” The god grins. “Now go kick some butt for me, will you?”

When the words sink in, Percy’s at Camp Half-Blood, in front of the fire, and Hestia is sitting cross legged in the flames. Homesickness fills him faster than the Chimera’s poison did as she smiles warmly at him. “You belong home, Percy.”

When he draws in his next breath there’s Hermes, standing outside the house of May Castellan, looking wistfully at the house but never going in. “You’re a good kid.” Hermes says, never looking away from the house. George and Martha are silent around the caduceus. “It was Luke’s time, up on Olympus. Yours is still to come.”

Next is Hephaestus who’s in a forge, banging on some sort of blade. He pauses enough to look up. “Ares didn’t want you to live,” the blacksmith shrugs. “That was good enough for me.”

Artemis follows. She’s staring up at the sky and from where she is, it’s night and they’re sitting on the edge of a cliff. Percy follows her line of sight to be greeted by the view of Zoe Nightshade’s huntress constellation, eternal up in the stars. “It would be a shame,” Artemis says, “to lose one of the only men I can stand. You could still teach my brother a thing or two. Besides,” she looks at him, and she’s not in her preferred twelve year old form, she’s in the form she adopts for council meetings and serious matters. “My Lieutenant says you owe her cheeseburgers. It wouldn’t do to let a debt go unpaid.”

Percy’s confusion morphs into reluctance when he’s greeted by Aphrodite laying on a white chaise lounge. He really tries to meet her eyes, given that she’s scantily clad in a sheer white dress. “Your love story isn’t over yet,” she sniffles, dabbing at her eyes. “And Annabeth was just so sad!”

He can’t say anything before he’s whisked away and greeted by Ares. 

For some reason he can speak now. “I thought you-”

“You don’t even want to know what Aphrodite’s giving me for this,” the god of war says grinning wickedly, right before he punches Percy in the face.

He feels the pain briefly, but it’s gone by the time he’s standing before Hera in the middle of a garden. She looks over at him and purses her lips. “It wasn’t for you or the silly blonde girl, I can tell you that,” she sniffs, right before he’s whisked away to stand in the throne room of Olympus. 

The sight of Zeus, full sized and looming from where he’s sitting on his throne, greets him. 

Percy would bow but he really doesn’t feel like it. Instead he just stands and looks at the King of the Gods, who frowns down at him for a few moments in silence. 

He’d blame the rudeness on his very recent, very sudden death but really it’s because he just didn’t feel like it. 

“Every single member of my family vouched for you, and many outside as well.” Zeus looks troubled and furious in equal measure. “Even I cannot go against the Fates. Don’t mess it up.”

Finally, the next time his eyes open Percy feels more permanently settled. 

He looks around and realizes; he’s in the water just in front of the cabin he and his mom always rented at Montauk.

Floating on his back in the water just beside Percy is his father.

“Dad?” Percy whispers and he’s ashamed when tears fill his eyes. “I haven’t seen you since-”

“We killed that nasty giant in Greece,” Poseidon’s eyes met Percy’s, and neither his Hawaiian shirt, nor khaki shorts seemed to be wet from floating on the waves. Poseidon’s voice is as gentle as his facial expression. “I would have stayed longer but you know how my brother gets. He was especially grumpy that day.”

Percy blinked strongly, the tears receding as quickly as they’d come and lays down on his back beside him. 

“Am I still dead?” He asks, looking up at the blue sky. Clouds drift past, the water is cool against his back and Percy sees the cabin tucked away on the beach.

Peace settles over him.

Poseidon hummed at the question. “Technically, though that’s soon to change. Your friend, Piper, is calling you back right now. Can you hear her?”

Percy concentrated, trying to hear anything except the waves against the shore and his father’s breathing. 

“No.”

Poseidon looked thoughtfully up at the sky, eyes tracking a seagull overhead. “You will.”

Percy turned to look at him, keeping the water away from his face subconsciously. “Why am I seeing you? All of the gods. Am I hallucinating?”

“Are you?” Poseidon looked surprised, but there was a twinkle in his eyes that made Percy think he knew more than he let on. “It’s not a hallucination. Funny, isn’t it, how many of us are willing to stick our necks out for you.”

Percy closed his eyes. “I thought they hated me.”

“Many do.”

Percy chooses to not think about that. It will save him a headache, he’s sure. “I don’t deserve it.”

When he opens them his father is watching him intently. “Believe me, son,” Poseidon says quietly. “You do.”

“You said you were sorry I was born,” Percy says past the lump in his throat, sitting up on the water. “The first time we met, you said you wished I hadn’t been born because I had a hero’s destiny and that it was full of sadness and pain. Was this it?”

Poseidon’s eyes turned sad. “Even I can’t see the future, Percy. I know snippets, as Hermes did with Luke.” He lifted a hand to rest heavily on Percy’s shoulder. “I saw your death, yes. I never foresaw all of the immortals coming together to argue it, nor did I ever know the Fates themselves would overturn it, mending a snipped string.”

Percy’s mouth fell open and Poseidon nodded. “Perhaps your mother named you aptly after all,” he said, his eyes moving past Percy to stare sadly at the beach and the cabin sitting there. 

Percy closed his mouth, new questions occurring to him. “Do you come here? In real life I mean?”

Poseidon looked at him sharply before his features softened. “In real life,” he mused as if amused by the question. “Sometimes.” He answered softly. “Not as much as I used to, and not as much as I would like. But sometimes.” His eyes looked over Percy, making him shift uncomfortably. “I am- so proud of you, son.”

The lump in Percy’s throat grew. “Thanks, dad.” He whispered.

He started when a new voice reached him, breaking the moment. “Percy,” Piper was saying, and he looked up, trying to pinpoint the voice’s location. It echoed in his ears. “Percy, come back. Please. Wake up!”

Poseidon smiled at him again as if hearing the voice too. “You will need a god when you go back,” he said seriously. “Remember, son, that I am always looking over you. And that almost three quarters of the earth is water.”

Percy opened his mouth to ask but Poseidon spoke first. 

“And congratulate your mother for me when you see her again.” Poseidon looked at the cabin once more, the timeless grief that all gods seemed to share etched in his features. 

“Percy, Annabeth needs you. Come back.” Piper’s voice is stronger this time, and Percy feels like something grips his heart and stomach inside of him only to give a powerful yank.

Poseidon winked at him and then was gone.

oooOOOooo

Percy woke up with a gasp. 

He sucked in air greedily, sparing a thought to anticipate the familiar pain in his ribs and feeling nothing. He breathes again and still nothing hurts.

Feeling the air go down his throat to his lungs and out again. Feeling warm hands on him, hearing Piper’s gasp and mutter of, “Oh my gods,” and seeing Annabeth over him, hair hanging down from her ponytail, grey eyes locked on his. “Seaweed Brain?”

Percy smiled at her crookedly. “Turns out I’m not that easy to kill.”

Annabeth gives a half-laugh-half-sob and throws herself at him. Percy grips back tight, holding her against him and tucking his face into her neck, breathing deeply once more. 

“I’m so sorry,” he whispers, and her grip tightens to be almost painful. 

“Never do that again.” She says brokenly before her voice steadies itself. “Piper might not be around next time and then I’d have to go to the Underworld, like Orpheus. You think I’d let you get away so easy? We’re staying together, remember?”

“I promise.” He replied gently, knowing deep in his bones that Annabeth isn’t bluffing. He knows because he would do the same for her. 

He lets her go and grabs Riptide from where it lays beside him on the ground. He used the sword to stand up, half expecting his legs to collapse under him. When they didn’t he looked at Annabeth who was watching him from the ground and grinned. 

Piper’s eyes are shiny with tears as she slowly creeps forward. “Percy, you were dead, oh my gods…”

He opens his arms just in time for her hug, feeling the newly found air in his lungs whoosh out at the force of her embrace. “Thanks, Pipes.” He says, and she lets out a strangled laugh of disbelief before backing away slightly.

He turned away, his dad’s words ringing in his ears. “Be ready.” He warns, looking to the giant.

While it seems like a lifetime had passed- which, Percy supposed, his had- there was still a giant and a Chimera to fight. Still enemies, which had taken the wrath of Jason, Leo and Hazel, but still stood standing.

Jason was lying on his back, fear written across his face, gladius feet away from his splayed hand, as Aristaeus advanced towards him. Percy looked at Leo and saw him once again try to summon a fireball only to have it sputter out as the Chimera looked like it was almost grinning while it prowled towards him. Hazel was panting, pale and sweaty as she murmured beside Frank, but her voice never faltered and her focus never wavered from the giant. Frank was still unconscious.

Aristaeus stopped moving towards Jason as he caught sight of Percy. 

“Impossible!” He said as Percy stumbled towards him, Riptide in hand. “I felt you die!”

Jason’s head turned to look at Percy and a grin split his face. Percy was surprised at the strength of the reaction because he and Jason had never been that close, not really, but for a moment Percy allowed himself to believe that maybe in the future they could.

Leo laughed, backing away from the Chimera long enough to meet Percy’s eyes. “Did you have a secret cure for death too”

Percy’s smile twitched at his lips but he was distracted by a light touch on his arm.

“Percy, what are you...” Annabeth started, and he looked over and met her eyes as he felt her grasp both of his arms in support. “You’re too weak.” She said, eyes searching his, trying to silently ask what he was doing. “Percy, he’ll kill you.”

“Hold your breath,” Percy told her again before closing his eyes and ignoring the giant’s confusion and fear completely.

Three quarters of the earth was water. 

Percy feels that familiar tug in his gut, he lifts his hands, curling his fingers in a come hither gesture. He’s filled with rage, he has been for a while now, and when Percy taps into it, using it to help fuel his powers, he realizes he can’t find the bottom. 

When he opens his eyes Aristaeus’ axe’s blade has fallen to the ground, the handle gripped loosely in his hand as the monster turns to look at the tops of the trees, wide eyed.

Percy silently prays that Hazel can keep the giant’s magic at bay long enough just as the wave crests over the treetops and surges into the clearing.

He clenches his hands, containing the water to the clearing alone, remembering the mortal in the cave, and he makes air bubbles around his friends as the water from the Mississippi River rushes towards Aristaeus. 

Percy surrounds himself with it, feeling it surge past him without knocking him off his feet. A sudden rush of energy fills him and Percy pushes the water forward, looking around to see the air pockets he’d wanted surrounding each of his friends. 

The water is like a tidal wave when it finally reaches Aristaeus and the giant doesn’t stand a chance. He’s bowled over by the force of it, falling to the ground and the water is like chains, criss-crossing the giant, holding his arms and legs in place, making him powerless to move. 

Percy stops pulling from the river, allowing the liquid around his friends to fall and flow away, soaking into the ground and creating little rivers and tributaries to stream between the trees. Aristaeus is laying flat on his back and Percy moves to stand overtop of him, walking across his chest and standing with Riptide poised at the giant’s heart.

“You can’t.” Aristaeus’ voice is a croak. His eyes betray him, flickering with fear. “You can’t kill me.”

Percy tightens the water’s hold on him. He’s tempted, for a moment, to draw the water from Aristaeus’ very pores out of him, to leave him a wrinkled and shrivelled husk. It would be so easy, too, that’s the worst thing, Percy doubts he would really care to remember in the long run if he did so. Just another death by his hand. 

He’s lost count of how many people and monsters he’s killed.

It would be so easy to torture Aristaeus. Easy to prolong his agony through death but Percy finds he’s just too exhausted. 

“After everything… You can’t kill me,” Aristaeus says again brokenly, and Percy’s resolve hardens.

“I can.” Percy replies steadily. “And I will.”

“You hate the gods,” Aristaeus says and his tone is honest confusion. “More than any of the others you despise them. You’ve tortured them in the past. Yet you are their fiercest protector. Why?”

Percy swallows, remembering Akhlys. It had taken him months to come to terms with what he’d been capable of doing to her down in Tartarus; to come to terms with everything he’d wanted to do to her.

But he had.

Long ago Percy accepted that he didn’t agree with most of the gods and the things they did. He couldn’t silently go along with them ignoring their kids and wreaking havoc only to leave others to clean up their messes.

But his dad was a god. 

He knew all of the gods made mistakes. He’s suffered from many of the most recent ones himself. 

Percy made mistakes too. Akhlys, Bob, Damasen, Calypso, Luke, Ethan, the manipulations, the pain. 

He was mortal and he made mistakes. 

So did the gods. Just like mortals. The only difference was that they had an eternity to keep making mistakes, and the power to do it on a much grander scale. Percy finds he can’t fault them just for being gods. It’s what they are, how most of them were born. Every mistake and consequence is a result of that.

And they’d saved him. Granted, he’d saved them more times than he could count which evened out the scales, but the gods had brought him back. He hadn’t expected it- the thought had never crossed his mind that they even could- especially when so many of them hadn’t seemed to care one bit whether he lived or died any other time. 

Percy glanced over at Annabeth to see her standing and watching him closely. Her blade was in hand, her ponytail was a mess and her grey eyes somehow still had a sparkle in them, her mouth hinted at the ghost of a smile. The relief was still evident on her face and his heart swelled with love. 

The gods had brought him back to her. He had to be grateful for that. That had to prove something about them.

“I believe they can change,” Percy answered Aristaeus, feeling the breeze around him pick up and he moved with it, by lifting Riptide a little higher. “Which is more than I can say for you.”

Percy felt power fill the clearing and run just across his skin, and the smell of ocean, of salt water and a coastline breeze, filled his senses. 

Arion whinnied and Percy saw a bright green glow surround the horse’s injured ankle. His eyes were caught by Frank who was surrounded by the same thing, and when it faded the blood coating his friend’s skin was gone. Percy looked at Riptide, which was glowing green as well; the same colour that had surrounded Frank, the same colour, Percy remembered, that he had seen fade from around him when he’d fought the Chimera a couple of nights ago.

The Chimera that was currently yelping in pain, drawing all eyes towards it, before it went on to dissolve into golden dust.

Aristaeus’ expression morphed into one of genuine fear at the sight of the glowing sword. “No!” He rumbled, the vibration running up Percy’s legs at the exclamation. “The gods cannot interfere-”

It was the last thing Aristaeus said. Percy brought Riptide down sharply and Aristaeus dissolved, his howl echoing throughout the clearing as Percy was left down on one knee amidst a pile of sand. The smell of saltwater fades as the sand is gently blown away, scattered across of the surface of the earth.

It’s quiet for a couple of minutes, the only thing Percy hears is his own heavy breathing. All of his injuries may have disappeared, but he did just die and come back to life only to kill a giant minutes later. He felt like he deserved a short time out.

A hand slid up from the small of his back to rest between his shoulder blades and Percy tensed before realizing it was Annabeth.

“Hey,” her other hand pushed some of his hair back from his forehead and he looked up to meet her eyes, which were glistening. He blinked and realized his own were slightly damp. 

“Hi.” He said back, soaking in the fact that she was standing in front of him, alive and relatively unharmed. 

They were both alive. It was over. He could go home.

A sound escaped him, a choked and strangled sound, and Annabeth’s expression immediately softened before she settled down to kneel in front of him. “Come here,” she murmured, and Percy felt another sob escape him just as she pulled him to rest against her. 

Riptide fell forgotten to the ground and Percy’s arms came up shaking. He wrapped them around Annabeth and brought her closer, taking full advantage of the fact that they were alive, they were together and for the moment, they were safe. They had all the time in the world.

“Annabeth,” he gasps. He doesn’t say anything else, just her name, but it’s enough and she understands because she just grips him tighter and keeps running her fingers through his hair. 

“Shh,” she says gently. “I’m right here.”

He loves her for that. The way she doesn’t say it’s okay, or thank the gods that they’re both still alive. She doesn’t say anything like that, she just reassures him that yes, they’re still together. They beat this just like they’ve beaten everything else and somehow, miraculously, despite the odds and the fact that, by all logical reasoning, they shouldn’t be, they are together. 

Annabeth repeats the most important thing, the most comforting thing she could have possibly said to him at that moment. “I’m right here, Percy. I’ve got you.”

He lets himself fall completely against her 

oooOOOooo

Afterwards, when Piper and Jason have embraced, and Hazel has checked Frank over and seen that his injuries are completely healed, when Leo goes in and finds the mortal still unconscious and unharmed, they all slump to the ground in exhaustion at once. Leo sits beside Festus, the woman beside him, picking up loose pieces of metal, stroking a hand over what used to be a golden dragon’s head.

"Let's take a vacation," Piper says suddenly. "I think we all deserve a couple of weeks. I'm feeling Paris, personally. Or London."

Leo looks up. "London, please. Paris is too mushy, and we all know what a romantic you are Beauty-Queen."

Piper scoffs and goes to give a sharp retort but Frank groans, making all of them look over at him.

Annabeth and Hazel hover over the son of Mars and Percy looks at them. "How is he?"

"We have enough ambrosia to keep him stable for now but he needs to get medical attention." Hazel looks up and meets his eyes. "I want someone to check him, make sure he’s really healed."

Arion whinnies and nuzzles Frank's shoulder, surprising Percy. He has enough tact not to say anything. Now is not the time for that horse to start cussing.

He looks over at Jason. "So what they're saying is, we need rides."

Jason's brow scrunches together in confusion for a second before his face clears and he grins at Percy. "Whoever gets them here first makes the other debrief Mr. D."

"You're on," Percy says, ignoring the confused looks from the others and Piper's exasperated eye roll before he closes his eyes and concentrates.

Luckily Blackjack answers. 

He swoops down, wings flapping, and Percy grins up at him, clambering to his feet. "Hey buddy, long time no see."

Boy am I happy to see you, Blackjack answers him straight away, annoyance and exasperation obvious in his tone. Porkpie here has been getting ideas boss, about who's in charge in the stables. I keep trying to tell him that after you there's a certain rank-

He's a tyrant, Porkpie chimes in from where he's nuzzling Annabeth. Those two seem to have developed quite the bond. First dibs on donuts all of the time-

The horse that pulls the most weight gets first pick-

"Enough, guys, can we figure this out at Camp?" Percy interrupts, and both horses turn to him with an unimpressed look, almost as if they were raising an eyebrow.

Which was very strange because horses didn't even have eyebrows. 

Tempest appears seconds later after a quick drop in air pressure and the distinct smell of ozone follows him. Percy shoots a grin at Jason who just sighs in defeat. 

Hazel and Annabeth are already moving to lift up Frank. 

"Which of them will be able to handle him better?" Hazel asks Percy and he doesn't have time to respond before Blackjack sticks his neck forward, prancing up to Hazel and preening before her eyes.

Hazel stifles a laugh. "I guess that answers that."

Percy grins at the girl's amused faces and moves forward, helping to hoist Frank onto Blackjack, careful of his wound. "Blackjack could carry three-"

"I'll go on, Arion." Hazel says. "His ankle looks better..." She trails off and Percy glances at the horse in question. Whatever magic Percy's father had swept through the clearing seems to have cured the Chimera's bite and Arion looked just as impatient as ever. "But I don't want to put too much weight on him until we know for sure. Camp Half-Blood?" She finishes.

Annabeth nods. "It's closer."

Jason and Piper settle onto Tempest's back. "Leo?" Jason calls and Leo looks up again from Festus.

Leo's face clouds over. "With enough parts- if I could get all the metal I need I could fix him."

Annabeth looks at him sadly. "Leo."

"I fixed him before." Leo says stubbornly. "Maybe if I stay I could at least figure out what I need."

"Leo," Piper slips down from Tempest to walk over and kneel beside him. "Frank needs help now."

"You guys could go-"

"We're not leaving you here." Jason trots Tempest over to them, voice allowing no argument. 

Leo swallows, looking back down at his automaton. "I can't just leave him here."

Piper places one hand on Leo's shoulder, another on his cheek. "We'll come back for him."

Hazel's voice rings clear. "All of us will."

Percy nods at Leo's inquiring gaze and he watches as the son of Hephaestus catches sight of Frank and nods. "Okay."

He pulls away from Piper and stands up, still looking at Festus. "Don't worry buddy," and Percy didn’t comment on the break in his voice. "You'll be whole before you know it."

Then he visibly gathers himself and turns towards the four horses. "So how are we doing this?" He asks, gesturing towards the woman.

“You said she’s okay?” Percy asked Leo.

He nodded. “I think she’ll wake up eventually… I didn’t do anything to knock her out when I took her, Aristaeus did something and I just found her…” He trails off, face clouded. “If Hazel just takes her back to the town I could tell you where I- where did I find her?” Leo trails off to mutter to himself and Hazel frowns before walking over to him and the woman.

She snaps her fingers and the woman wakes up in a jolt. Her hair is in disarray, her clothes are wrinkled and dirty and her face is flushed. 

She looks around and screams, scrambling back straight into Leo’s legs. 

The woman shrieks again and stands up, taking in her surroundings. 

Percy wonders what she sees. The horses probably just look like regular horses to her, but what about the mess of metal that was Festus? What about their weapons? Do they look like guns? It had happened before. 

“Where am I? Who are you people?” The woman gulps. “What am I doing here? Please don’t kill me. I’ll give you money, seriously, anything you want-”

Hazel moves a little closer and the woman pales. “What are you- you’re just kids, she’s coloured just like me, how can you all commit these- these hate crimes-”

Percy frowns trying to make sense of what she’s talking about but it’s Hazel who puts it together.

“We’re not going to hurt you, please don’t panic.” Hazel looks stricken. “I promise. We- we-”

Annabeth jumps in. “We’re a camping group,” she says, moving closer to get into the woman’s line of sight. “We’re learning horseback riding- well, we’re the more advanced group, and we all know how to ride, so the counsellors let us go on a little run as long as we promised to stick together.”

The woman looks at their horses before meeting Annabeth’s eyes again, eyes wide. 

“We found you here, so it should really be us asking you why you’re out here all alone.”

The stranger looks around, meeting each of their eyes. Percy tries to smile.

“I don’t know. I was in bed, last I remember.” 

“Maybe you sleepwalked?” Percy asks her and then he cringes, because it takes hours to walk from the town to here.

“I- I guess so?” She looks confused.

“Listen,” Piper hunches down in front of her. “How about you let my friend here take you home,” she gestures to Hazel, “and then you can get to work or- or your family.”

All eyes zero in on her wedding ring and the woman nods. “If- if you wouldn’t mind. Actually could I borrow one of your cell phones?” She pats herself down. “I don’t seem to have mine.”

Annabeth has a hand out before she’s done talking, cell phone in hand. “Of course.”

The woman gets up and dusts herself off, looking at them all warily once more before dialling and walking a little bit away. Percy hears her say the name “Marshall” and “I don’t know, but some campers are bringing me home, it shouldn’t take more than- hold on,” she covers the mouthpiece. “How far away from home am I? How long will it take to get back?”

Hazel shrugs. “If we go on horseback, then about half an hour? 45 minutes tops?”

The woman nods and goes back to speaking while Hazel turns to look at Piper. “Why am I the one bringing her home?”

“Blackjack has Frank,” Piper points out. “She can’t fly, that would be too weird. Plus Arion will be fastest, and you both already know where the town is. I’m sure Tempest could find it, but why waste the time? And she’ll trust you most, I think.”

“Why?” Percy asks, feeling like he was missing something obvious.

“My skin colour.” Hazel sighs and Percy says, “Oh,” dumbly. He hadn’t though skin colour would be an issue, but now that he thinks about it, and what he’s seen recently on the news, it makes sense. “Ok. Then you’ll meet us all at Camp?”

Hazel nods, the woman finishes her phone call and Piper claps her hands. “Okay great. Well, we’re going back to… our camp. It was nice to meet you…”

“Dalia.” 

Jason smiles at her. “Nice to meet you, Dalia.”

“You too. Thank you, all of you. And thank you…” 

“Hazel,” Hazel jumps in at the woman’s questioning look. “I’m Hazel.”

“Hazel, for being able to bring me home. My husband was worried.”

Leo makes a strangled noise that he turns into a cough and Jason moves over to say something to him. Leo shakes his head and turns away. 

Dalia gives him a look but apparently decides it’s better not to ask. From the guilt all over Leo’s face Percy thinks it’s a wise choice. 

“If we could go soon?” She asks. “I really do need to get back.”

“Of course.” Hazel moves over to Arion, saying a few calming words while she strokes his nose. “Do you ride?”

“My family owns a ranch, I grew up around horses,” Dalia said. “I ride.”

Hazel grins and Percy looks back and forth between them, almost able to see the horse bonding going on. 

He looks over at Blackjack and Frank, wondering if Dalia even noticed Frank or whether he was made into something else. A saddle maybe?

With one last farewell and a significant look from Hazel to Frank the two girls are gone with Arion. 

“Well,” Annabeth says. “I think that went pretty well.”

Piper snorts and rejoins Jason on Tempest as Percy swings up behind Frank, taking care to keep from jostling him.

Annabeth hoists herself up on Porkpie and looks at Leo. "Looks like it's you and me, Valdez," she says and Leo nods, slowly moving to climb up behind her, gazing sadly at Festus from the pegasus' back.

"Alright Blackjack," Percy tears his gaze away from the automaton and claps the black pegasus. "Take us home."


	11. Epilogue

When they get back it’s pretty uneventful. 

There’s Chiron waiting for them on the steps of the Big House. Mr. D, Grover, Juniper, Nico, Will and Rachel are with him. 

Apart from that things seem to be the same as always.

Grover and Rachel are grinning widely, and Will and Nico make their way over. Nico shoots him a quick nod before moving to Frank.

“Mr. D told us you were coming back.” Chiron comes down to greet them, stopping beside Percy, helping to pull Frank from Blackjack and handing him to Nico and Will, who bring him inside. “Percy, my boy, I am so- I am so sorry-”

“Chiron,” Percy slides down from Blackjack, patting him and promising to sort out any building revolutions in the stables. He turns to his mentor after Blackjack goes away, presumably to find some donuts or sugar. He’s a little alarmed at the emotion in Chiron’s voice- his trainer was very hard to unnerve. Percy doesn’t know if he ever remembers seeing it before. “What are you talking about? Sorry for what?”

The centaur’s face takes on a look of guilt. “I refused to send out a team for your rescue. The giant was somehow able to, ahem, control me and my actions. If it hadn’t been for Mr. D and his careful moderation I would never have snapped out of it.” Chiron appraises them. “I’m just thankful that none of you were injured. You all look perfectly fine.”

Percy glances at the others, silently warning them not to say anything. He’ll tell Chiron, of course he will, but not here in the open. “I’m not mad at you.” Percy says. “Or Leo. You have nothing to be sorry for.”

Chiron nods. “Very gracious of you, my boy, very gracious. Now, if you would…”

He brings Percy up to the group, and Grover pulls away from Annabeth to hug him quickly. “Our empathy link came back to me,” he whispered. “What happened?”

Percy hugs him tight. “Later. I’ll tell you all at once.”

Rachel practically bowls him over with the force of her running into him. “Thank Apollo,” she says before pulling back to whack his shoulder. 

“Ow!” He complained.

“You dummy,” Rachel says. “How many times are you going to make Annabeth come and rescue you, hmm?”

His jaw drops and he wants to say something in protest but Juniper comes up to him shyly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears. “Oh, hush, Rachel, he’s just gotten back. Wait for tonight to terrorize him.”

Percy grins and hugs her quickly too. “Thanks a lot,” he says, and Grover bleats a laugh.

They all fall quiet when Mr. D comes up to them, and Percy glances to the side to see Annabeth giving him a significant look. He frowns, not understanding, and she gestures to the god. 

Percy shakes his head but is unable to ask. Mr. D pops the tab on his Diet Coke, takes a slurp and looks at him with a bored expression. “Is this the last time we’re going to have to concern ourselves with your disappearance Porticus?”

Irritation fills him, like it usually does when he’s around Mr. D. “It’s not like I plan to be kidnapped-”

“Yes, well,” Mr. D looks away. “Do make sure it doesn’t happen again, would you?”

Percy gapes and Annabeth comes to stand beside him, linking their fingers together. “Thank you, Mr. D, for your help.”

Dionysus sniffs. “Would it really have been such a tragedy to leave him out there?”

“Look, Wine Dude-”

Jason makes a choking noise and Piper claps him on the back, face grim. Annabeth nudges Percy’s side and he looks at her only to find her head shaking in warning.

“Agh,” Dionysus’ lip curls in disgust. “Who started that, I demand to know? Whoever it was can expect-”

Hazel’s arrival thankfully diffuses the tension, probably also saving her brother a premature death. “Where’s Frank?” She demands right away, feeding Arion a nugget of gold.

“Inside with, Will.” Annabeth answers her. “Where all of us should be.”

When the room fills Will looks up, his mouth twitching. “He’s completely fine,” he reassures Hazel before turning to the rest of them. “Honestly, I think he’s just asleep.”

Leo laughs and Hazel moves to sit beside Frank, ignoring Nico’s frown as she runs a hand through his hair. “He’s been so tired with everything going on, all of the attacks on Camp Jupiter and being Praetor… he’s exhausted.”

“Let him sleep then,” Nico says. “You’ll wake him up, touching him like that.”

Percy laughs and Nico shoots him a glare. “Shut up,” the son of Hades mutters and Percy mimes zipping his lips closed. “What happened to you anyway?” Nico continues, eyes raking him over. 

Percy sobers up, looking around at all of the expectant faces, returning Annabeth’s squeeze of his hand. “Let’s go to the rec room,” he says. “I’ve got a lot to tell you.”

oooOOOooo

Afterwards there’s silence. No questions, no comments. Just… silence as everyone takes it all in.

Except one.

“That will be it, right?” Percy’s looking around anxiously, waiting for an answer. “There’s no more Triumvirate, Aristaeus was the hidden ace up their sleeve in case they failed. There’s nothing else to worry about?”

“Well, there’s your everyday typical monsters,” Leo points out. “You know, ones that kill mortals and demigods who don’t have training or help.”

Piper glared at him. “Very helpful, Leo, thank you.”

He holds his hands up in surrender. “I’m just saying.”

Percy ignores them, looking at Chiron. “No one else trying to destroy the gods and take over Olympus. No more evil Titans or Giants waiting around to get us. This was it, right? It’s done. I’m done.”

Chiron looks at him sadly. “You know I can’t promise anything like that, Percy.”

He stands up, slamming his hands on the ping pong table and making everybody jump. “Then what’s the point?” He demands. Nico’s watching him wide eyed, worry on his face. Annabeth is sitting silently, taking it in. Everyone is looking at him warily. “If I have to keep putting my life on hold to fight someone else and be another monster’s personal punching bag, what’s the point?”

“Percy,” Piper says after seconds of no one answering him. “It’s who we are.”

“Who we are.” Percy repeats flatly. “Right.” He nods finally. “I’m going to call my mom,” he mutters, not looking at anybody else as he storms out.

Chiron looks at Annabeth. “What do you suggest we do?” He asks her.

Annabeth looks away from the door Percy had just slammed behind him. “He’s upset.” She says. “And he’s been through a lot. You know what he’s like Chiron.” 

Chiron sighs and sits back. “Let him call his mother,” he mutters, rubbing his temples. “Then someone go and talk to him.”

Leo coughed. “So um, he really died? And the gods brought him back?”

“He said the Fates mended his string,” Annabeth looked at Chiron. “They don’t do that.”

“No,” the centaur is staring at the table. “They don’t. In all my time on this earth I have never even heard of such a thing...”

Hazel pipes up. “I was brought back to life, by Nico.” Nico cringes. “The gods turn a blind eye to it. I’m sure Percy will be fine.”

Annabeth doesn’t look reassured. “I guess.”

“I brought Jason back too.” Piper says. “Hera said it shouldn’t have been possible. And you’re fine, aren’t you Sparky?”

Jason nods. “Last I checked.”

“I would ask Mr. D, but…” Chiron shifted. “It’s a delicate subject.”

Will spoke. “Nico felt Percy die. Then he felt him come back. He’s not a ghost or anything, he’s really here.”

“For how long?” Annabeth asks them, and the room falls quiet again.

Chiron looks up at the roof as if seeking guidance. Nothing comes. “For as long as the Fates allow, just as it is for the rest of you,” he says finally. 

With that the meeting is over.

oooOOOooo

Rachel looks up as Hazel comes into the room and stands from Frank’s bedside. “He must be really tired.” 

Hazel nods, reaching out to take his hand. “Thanks for watching him.”

“Hey, no problem.” Rachel clears her throat. “Percy told you what happened to him?”

Hazel looks up at her. “You know already?”

Rachel shrugs. “I saw most of it in flashes. Not all. Enough.” She sighs, looking tired. “I’m just glad he’s okay.”

Hazel nods. “Me too.”

“Hey,” Frank’s voice is a croak and Hazel looks over to meet his eyes. “What happened?”

She can’t help but kiss his cheek. “Frank! Thank gods!”

Frank blinked a few times before pulling himself up to sit against the headboard. “Am I… in the Big House?”

Rachel clears her throat. “I’ll let you tell him everything.” She says. “Glad you’re awake, Frank.”

“Thanks Rachel.” 

Hazel squeezes his hand when she’s gone. She plans on telling him everything, but first she needs to get this out. Aristaeus has unsettled her. “Frank, you know I love you, right?”

Frank’s eyes widen. “What?”

“You know, when I ended things, it wasn’t because I didn’t like you.” Hazel hastens to say, a blush staining her cheeks.

“I know.” Frank says eventually, his own blush fading. “You weren’t ready. We’re still best friends.”

Hazel nods. “The way I saw it, everything was the same, we just didn’t do the physical stuff anymore. And I liked that. I like that. And I’m starting to think that, soon, things will be different and we can try everything again, brand new.”

Frank looks slightly terrified and she smiles at him. “Don’t worry I- oh, this isn’t coming out right.” She frowns. “I’m not asking you to wait for me-”

Frank laughs. 

Hazel pulls back, slightly hurt. “What?”

“Nothing,” Frank shakes his head. “It’s just- that’s such a typical movie line.”

“Is it?” Hazel asks him. “I still haven’t seen many movies.”

“It is.” Frank says warmly, squeezing her hand. “And I know. Continue. Please.”

“All I’m saying is, when I do want to start dating, the first person I want to date is you.” Hazel’s cheeks feel warm. “The only person I want to date is you. That hasn’t changed.”

“Hazel,” Frank looks at her warmly. “I know. Same goes for me too. Nothing’s changed since we talked last, what’s brought this on?”

Hazel nods. “Okay. I just… wanted you to be sure.”

His eyes are soft. “I’m always sure of you, Hazel Levesque,” he says. 

When she goes to lay against his chest, Frank opens his arms right away to hold her there. “So,” he asks. “What happened to Percy?”

She turns her head and smiles into his shirt.

oooOOOooo

That day it rains at Camp Half-Blood. 

It doesn’t just rain, it storms. Thunderclouds roll overhead, lightning flashes, illuminating purple, grey and black clouds, and Percy sits on the step to Cabin Three, watching it all.

He’s soaked through in seconds. 

His mom had cried on the phone, and Percy had too. But she’d been happy he was safe and said he should wait until tomorrow to come back if that’s what he wanted.

He’s so tired that he thinks he will.

The rain is pouring down onto his face, getting in his eyelashes and stinging his eyes when Jason comes and sits beside him.

“Hey,” the blonde say.

“Hi.” Percy says back.

Jason looks at him closely. “You okay?”

Percy snorts. “No. You?”

“Nah.” Jason shakes his head. “Like you said, it gets pretty hopeless sometimes. I know we won and everything, and we got everyone home safe, but…”

Percy sighs. “But.” He agrees.

Jason looks up as thunder crashes around them again. “But we got you back,” Jason says. “And we won what could possibly be the last real battle we’ll all ever have to face. That counts for something, Percy.”

Percy looks over at him, watching the raindrops trail their way from his hair down his neck and onto his shirt. His own shirt sticks to his skin in a damp blanket. Percy doesn’t care about keeping it dry at the moment.

“Thank you,” he says. “You and Piper and Leo. Hazel and Frank too. Thank you for coming back for me.”

Jason shakes his head. “Did you really think we wouldn’t? After everything?” He looks over, his next words aren’t a question, just a statement. “You’d do the same for any of us.”

Percy used to be the kid with no friends. Maybe one, if he was lucky. His first real friend was Grover, back at Yancy. His second had been Luke, then Annabeth, and slowly other kids at Camp had crept in. 

His fatal flaw is loyalty to people he would ravage the world to save. 

It looks like a few more people have crept their way onto that list.

“Yeah,” Percy looks back up at the sky, feeling himself relax. Allowing himself to realize just how much he actually liked Jason. “Yeah I would have.”

“Sometimes I wonder how things would have been different,” Jason says, “if it had been you and Reyna switched by Hera. Or Annabeth and Reyna. Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like if I was the Greek demigod she chose and you were the Roman.”

Jason’s next words are a whisper, almost breathless. “Sometimes I want it,” he’s still looking up at the sky. “So, so badly.”

Percy doesn’t say anything. 

“Sometimes I wish Thalia had been the Roman and I was the Greek. Other times I wish Zeus had never heard of my mom and we were mortal.”

Percy glances over.

“But we’re not.” Jason says, looking over and meeting his eyes in return. “And if we were, I wouldn’t have Piper. You wouldn’t have Annabeth. We would never have known about Grover, or Hedge. Tyson never would have sought you out. Blackjack wouldn’t be your pegasus, Mrs. O’Leary wouldn’t be your hellhound… you never would have known these people. Even the ones you’ve lost in the wars, you never would have known they even existed to lose.”

Percy swallows, feeling his throat close up. 

“You’re the son of Poseidon.” Jason says fiercely. “I’m the son of Jupiter. We can’t change that, Percy. And, frankly, most of the time I don’t want to.”

Percy looks away, turning back up to the skies, wondering if Zeus sent rain here today for a reason or if he was just in a bad mood. 

“You’re right,” he says to Jason. 

Jason hums beside him and Percy nods. “And I know all of that. I was just…”

“I know.” The blonde replies, and then, “sometimes I am too.”

And that’s that.

The two of them sit like that for close to an hour, getting drenched by the rain, looking up at the clouds on the step of the Poseidon cabin. And when the storm breaks before supper they head to the dining pavilion together.

Annabeth sits at the Poseidon table.

No one questions it.

And later, there’s campfire.

It’s so normal. Percy’s in between Grover and Annabeth, arm slung over her shoulder. Campers are singing, the flames are a brilliant, blazing golden. Katie is throwing dirty looks at Travis every time he throws something at her, Connor is waxing (bad) poetic about Lou Ellen, Frank and Hazel are being suspiciously cute, blushing at every glance, and Percy’s reminded of when he first met them, before they started dating the first time.

Jason and Piper are leading the camp in a rendition of Zeus Might Be Your Father, But Hera is Not Your Mom, and Chiron is surveying them all with a happy, peaceful smile on his face. Percy makes a mental note to thank him again before the night is over just as Clarisse and Chris start throwing taunts at Malcolm about the next Capture the Flag.

(Really it’s just Clarisse with Chris making apologetic looks over her shoulder.)

And Percy’s so happy. This is what Jason was talking about earlier, it’s what he missed stuck in that gods damned cave. This feeling and these people. He misses the summers when everyone comes back from their schools and spends time together. 

He’s missed Camp.

Annabeth is beside him, roasting them both marshmallows. “So,” she plucks the sticky treat from the prong with crackers and chocolate, handing the s'more to him. “We’re both alive, thanks to your dad.”

Percy looks over at her.

“And we defeated the last giant.” She makes her own s'more, studiously avoiding his gaze. “Nothing else to worry about at the moment.”

He smiles and nods. “Yep.”

“And we’re back at Camp.” She finally looks over, icking the stray pieces of marshmallow falling from the s’more and making him very distracted. “So I was wondering, if you wanted to, maybe tonight…”

Percy tears his eyes away from her tongue, which is licking at her lips, back to her eyes, gulping. “Yeah?”

“After everyone’s asleep,” Annabeth says breathily, leaning over to get closer, and Percy really hopes Grover isn’t listening with his heightened hearing because that would be embarrassing for them all. “When you’re alone in your cabin, I could maybe come visit.”

She pulls back, turning to watch the fire and takes a bite of the treat. “You know. If you want to.”

“Gods, yes.” Percy says and they both smile at the fumble in his voice.

Annabeth moves to link their free hands. “Okay then.”

Percy squeezes.

His eyes are caught by Mr. D, who grumbles something to Chiron before retreating, probably claiming her has a headache, like every other night.

"I'll be right back," Percy kisses Annabeth on the cheek and she looks at him intently before her gaze flicks to Mr. D's retreating figure.

She nods. "Alright."

He gets up and follows the god, speaking after he’s swallowed his s’more. "Mr. D!"

His voice isn't loud enough to be heard by the singing campers where they sit at the campfire, but the two of them are far enough up the slight incline that it's quiet enough for the god to stop. 

Percy hears him sigh just before he turns around, allowing Percy to come closer. "Yes, Pelinus?"

Percy ignores that. "Annabeth told me you let them come get me and I know you helped Chiron."

Mr. D crossed his arms, looking unimpressed. Percy continued before he could say anything.

"Zeus told me all of the Olympians did something and they voted, to keep me alive." Mr. D's unimpressed look turns into one that is distinctly uncomfortable. "All of the Olympians. And I saw each of them, just for a second, after Hades let me go. Except you."

Dionysus raised an eyebrow. "And? What is your point, demigod?"

"You voted to let me come back from the Underworld," Percy says, knowing it’s true when Mr. D glances away. "Why?"

Mr. D is quiet for a long time, the purple fire in his eyes flickering.

Percy presses on. "Why didn't I see you after I came back? Like the others?"

The god of wine scoffs, but it's half hearted. Percy's heard better from him in the past. "I see you all summer as it is. Why in the world would I desire to see your face sooner than I have to?"

And it's not an answer to his questions, it's not a nice thing to hear, but Percy fills with warmth at the reply. 

"Thank you, Dionysus," Percy says, the god’s name just slipping out, and before he can be incinerated he turns away, intent on making his escape back to the campfire.

Dionysus stops him after another sigh.

"Percy."

It's surprise that makes Percy stop, and the curious tone of the god's voice that makes him turn around. It doesn't sound like he's going to be turned into a dolphin, so that's a good sign.

Mr. D looks almost pained. "I used to be a mere wine seller, as all you half-bloods should know."

He lets that sink in and Percy looks on in confusion. Dionysus waves a hand in exasperation. "My point is, that I wasn't always a god. I wasn't always feared and for a while my opinion meant nothing to my peers. That changed, of course, when I gained immortality, but it doesn't erase that I know what it feels like to be wrong. I've experienced when someone must swallow their pride, as it is something I have had to do many times. I have always been better at it than the other Olympians.

"Perhaps," the god continued, "the reason that they all vouched for you to Hades after the Fates mended your string was because they felt indebted by everything you had done. Perhaps some," here Mr. D paused and looked at him significantly, "had even grown fond of you, and felt bad for leaving you stranded in a time of need."

Percy's too stunned to reply.

"Of course I have no idea why," Mr. D's voice and demeanor returns to normal, "given that you're a particularly annoying breed of child, Pedro. Which is saying something, given that almost all children are distasteful to me."

Percy's mouth twitches. "I see."

Dionysus grows serious once more. "Do you?"

Percy nods. The god surveys him, eyes raking over him from head to toe, before nodding back.

"Well, good. Now please do try and not get kidnapped for at least a few months, I almost forget what it's like for things to be peaceful around here. The last time it happened was before you arrived six years ago, if I recall correctly."

Percy nods, turning to walk back to the fire. "Sure, Mr. D."

"And you're on dishes the day you return." Dionysus calls.

Percy stops and turns around, indignant. "What? Why?-"

"Because I feel like it," Dionysus replies blithely. "You have plenty of friends who were worried about you when you were gone, rope them into helping."

Percy opens his mouth to protest at the unfairness, but Dionysus grins at him and Percy closes his mouth, figuring just this once, to let the god away with it. 

"Good night, Mr. D," he says instead and they even share a smile before Dionysus turns away to walk back to the Big House alone.

oooOOOooo

Afterwards, Percy relaxes. 

For the first time since he'd found out that he was a half-blood, he truly relaxes. 

There's no next Great Prophecy to worry over. That means there's no small part of him that's terrified the next great foe will involve him. Annabeth has no bad feelings and there's no part of her unsettled because as far as the two of them know, they're done. They're free, nothing is coming after them, no one is waiting to take revenge and there's no more powerful immortals that are coming to threaten the peace they've worked so hard to feel. 

Percy goes home. Hand in hand with Annabeth they walk through the door to his family's apartment. 

He has no choice but to let go of her hand when his mom immediately catches sight of him and gets up from her seat at the kitchen counter.

Percy strides forward, arms wide, and he catches his mother mid-waddle in a gasp-wrenching hug. 

"Percy, oh my baby," Sally murmurs, and despite the fact that Percy is tall enough to place his chin on top of his mother's head, Sally runs her hand through his hair as Percy hunches over to hold her close. "Thank gods you're safe."

"I'm so sorry, mom." He speaks, surprised at the sudden emotion in his throat. He clings to her tighter. "I never meant to get lost again."

"Oh, honey," Sally returns the increased pressure in their hug. "I'm just happy you're home."

They stay like that for a long time, just hugging one another in the apartment's entrance, until Paul clears his throat. 

Percy slowly disentangles himself from his mom only to be assaulted by a hug from his step-father. Paul's voice is gruff when he speaks, but the layer of relief underlying it makes Percy's heart warm. "We were so worried."

Percy nods into Paul's shoulder. "I know. I'm sorry-"

"I had to physically restrain your mother from attempting to storm Olympus." Paul chuckled as they pulled away from each other. 

"If any mortal could do it, it would be her." Annabeth speaks from where she's extricating herself from Sally's hug, but she keeps an arm wrapped around Sally. 

Sally blushes. 

Percy meets her eyes and smiles at the happiness that radiates from her. He cocks an eyebrow and nods down at her stomach. "She's late, is she?"

Sally's hands fall to rest on her very pregnant belly. "Like her brother." She says. 

Percy's mouth opens as Paul chuckles and he moves to lead his mom to sit down on the couch in the living room, leaving Paul to rope Annabeth into helping bring out drinks from the kitchen. "That is-"

"Untrue," Sally admits as she slowly lowers herself onto the cushion with Percy helping her. "Because I was there to kick your butt into gear when you wouldn't move it along."

Percy mocks hurt. "I was an absolute angel child-"

Sally snorts and gives her son a look. "You've already given me grey hairs," she says, reaching up to pat his head. "But you were an angel. My perfect little angel." Sally's eyes tear up unexpectedly. "I was so worried, Percy."

Percy feels his throat choke with emotion. "Mom-"

"I know you're a demigod." Sally grips his hands and later they'll both say it was the hormones that made them so emotional (though it’s no excuse for Percy). This was a woman who had killed monsters with a shotgun and fought in the battle of Manhattan alongside her husband without blinking an eye. "But haven't you done enough now? Don't you get your happy ending?"

Percy thinks back to the talk he'd had with his father. Poseidon didn't know his fate. Nobody did, except the Fates themselves. Hades had said he had a much more painful death coming, years away. 

And he had to admit; this time felt different somehow. There was no reason to look over his shoulder just to make sure nothing was coming. 

He wouldn't run away from a fight if it came to one. That wasn't who he was. If his friends needed him, if anything threatened them, he would be there to help. 

But for the first time in a while he felt like maybe the fight wouldn't be coming for him. 

He looked around at his apartment. Pictures of him and his mom, Tyson, Annabeth, Paul, Grover and countless others on the TV stand. Familiar paintings on the walls, his mom's manuscript laid on the coffee table. 

He looked at Paul coming into the living room with two glasses of blue punch in hand and watched as he handed one to his mom, who smiled at him in silent thanks. Paul winked at her and his gaze dropped to her stomach for just a moment, but for long enough so that Percy could see the wave of emotion in the look. Happiness prevalent among them. 

There was Annabeth, who followed just behind Paul, coming to sit on the armrest beside Percy. She passed him his own glass to drink from before resting a hand on his shoulder as she took a sip.

She met his eyes, catching his look, and raised her eyebrows in a silent question.

He smiled softly at her, reaching up to link their fingers together. 

He was alright. They were together, everybody was safe, and he was with his family. 

This was home.


End file.
